Closing the Distance
by CrimsonRaine87
Summary: Set after my first three stories, The Best Kind, Downward Spiral, and Legacy Lovers. An enemy from the past comes back for revenge on Fenris and Anders. Mature Content.


Ok, I know I said the last one was the last, but I lied! Hahaha! Well, not so much 'lied' as 'just came up with an idea for another one'. As usual, involves mature content, language and some violence. As always, please enjoy.

* * *

**Closing the Distance**

Fenris leaned on his shoulder against the wall in the back of the bedroom staring out the window at the visible skyline beyond Kirkwall. It was dawn, and the sky was painted with the pink and orange hues of the still rising sun. Outside, birds were chirping and singing on rooftops, and the clock tower bell sounded its melodic ring, but the serene scene and sounds weren't enough to calm the distress within Fenris.

It had been almost a month since the trip to the Vinmark Mountains and the battle with Corypheus, but its effects were still being felt as strongly as they had back then. Four of them had made the journey down into the Deep Roads, and they had all experienced life altering pain. Varric was forced to put down his close friend Gerrav, Hawke discovered a dark secret about his family's past, Anders had been faced with the ugly sight of his own possible future, and Fenris had nearly died at the hands of his own lover. Even though they had left that place behind after the battle, the haunting experiences stayed with them. Especially him and Anders. Fenris never would have imagined things would end up like this when they first started this relationship nearly a year ago.

Restless stirring drew Fenris's attention back to the bed where Anders was tossing in his sleep, as he often did these days. His nightmares had started once again, and Fenris's presence didn't seem to help calm them like before. They were worse than ever now, and there was nothing he could do for the mage. Fenris looked back out the window with a sad sigh and saw the first rays of the sun beginning to peek out on the horizon. The soft light was blinding compared to the darkness cast over Anders. The mage had fallen into a deep depression since that day, and Fenris wasn't sure how to heal his heart. Nearly killing his lover after temporarily losing control of himself and seeing what would become of him if he didn't find death after his Calling had shaken Anders to his core. After their return, he had grown more distant and closed off from Fenris each day. They hadn't even been intimate since their romp in a crumbling building in the Deep Roads, which, while satisfying, had hardly been romantic. Fenris would have preferred making up for dreadful location in their warm, comfortable bed upon returning home, but Anders had already started changing by then, growing a lack of interest in sex. While the backed up sexual frustration was bothering Fenris, he was more deeply concerned about his lover's absence, even when the mage was there.

Pitiful groans of distress and incoherent muttering nearly startled Fenris and he quickly looked back over at Anders as the mage squirmed fretfully beneath the covers.

"Deep Roads... Calling... N-no... Won't go... Won't become...that..." Anders's hands resting on his chest and stomach tightly clutched the sheets as his restlessness continued.

Fenris's heart ached from the feeling of helplessness the sight brought him. He walked over to the bed and took a seat next to Anders on the edge, gently placing his hand on the mage's cheek. He leaned forward slowly, about to carefully wake Anders from his nightmare.

"Anders..." he began softly.

"Sorry... I'm so sorry..." Anders suddenly murmured. "Don't...leave me... Don't leave..." A tear streamed down from Anders's closed eye and onto Fenris's thumb as the tightly shut lids trembled. "Fen...ris..."

There was a sharp pain in Fenris's chest as he looked down sadly upon his sleeping lover. He then smiled softly and leaned down by Anders's ear. "I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me, you idiot." he whispered.

Shortly after those words were spoken, Anders's contorted face began to relax and his restless groans grew quieter then ceased all together. His heavy breathing calmed, and his hands that gripped the sheets twitched before slowly relaxing again. Soon he was taking deep, slow breaths and finally sleeping quietly.

Fenris gently wiped away the wet trail the tear had left and kissed Anders's lips lightly, careful not to disturb him. It wasn't hard for him to figure out what was causing the mage so much distress.

"You're still blaming yourself for that day, aren't you?" he asked quietly, though he wasn't expecting a response.

Even if Fenris had forgiven him, Anders couldn't forgive himself for having nearly killed him. While it had been terrifying and painful and instilled Fenris with a deeper sense of fear than he had ever known when he felt himself slipping away, something had snapped him out of it and made him fight his way back.

_"Please, don't leave me. I'll die without you, Love."_

He hadn't admitted it yet, but Fenris had heard Anders's plea while in the throes of darkness. And whether it was due to his own strength and desire to live, or simply the mage's healing kicking in, Fenris had managed to recover and escape death that day. While it had been a horrifying experience, he knew he couldn't place all the blame on Anders. Under normal circumstances such a thing never would have happened. The mage's struggle against Corypheus's call had been exhausting for him, physically and mentally. Fenris had already allowed his anger to reopen the rift between them once before when Hadriana came after him, he didn't want to let it happen again.

Fenris let out a quiet sigh and shook his head. How did it ever end up like this? How did _he_ ever end up like this? Sometimes Fenris had to wonder if the mage had cast a spell on him and one day he'd just snap out of it. If that really were the case, he'd probably kick Anders's ass. Then bang it.

Fenris swallowed hard at the thought of bending the mage over and taking him from behind once more. It'd been too long since he'd done that, but with the state Anders was in, he couldn't exactly make the mage have sex with him if he wasn't in the mood. Or could he? If he were to _get_ Anders in the mood... A mischievous smile played on Fenris's lips as he slowly leaned forward to kiss Anders while his hand began to reach for the mage's crotch beneath the blanket.

Before he could make contact on either end, there was a knock at the front door and Fenris halted, a deep frown crossing his face. He really, _really_ hated being interrupted. Fenris started to consider just ignoring it, but didn't want to risk a persistent knocker who would wake Anders. Not when he planned to do so himself in a considerably different manner. Suppressing a sigh of frustration, Fenris stood slowly to avoid disturbing Anders and made his way out of the room, shutting the door behind him. As he was descending the stairs there was another knock and he clicked his tongue in irritation.

"Tsk, this had better be important..." he grumbled under his breath.

Grabbing the door handle, Fenris swung it open a little more forcefully than he meant to and was about to say something rude to the impatient visitor, but paused immediately when he saw them, his mouth remaining partially open as the words caught in his throat.

A young Elven woman of stunning beauty that he had never seen before stood before Fenris in the doorway. She had porcelain skin and thick, wavy brown hair that parted on the right side of her head over to sweep over to the left. A layer hung from her temple in front of the right ear as the parted top layer hung over the left side of her face, partially covering it while the rest was swept up into a bun. Her slanted, almond shaped eyes were a shade of brown that almost looked deep red, and her soft, full lips were painted lavender. A laced up, brown leather bodice was wrapped around her torso supporting a perky bust that was bigger than normal for an elf. She wore a dark maroon dress that hung loosely on her shoulders in a wide, circular collar with gold trim and rounded beneath her collar bone. The sleeves cuffed above her forearms and the billowy skirt hung down within inches of the ground. The look of nervous uncertainty that she wore before Fenris opened the door melted away to be replaced with overjoyed relief when she saw him.

"It really is you!" she exclaimed, and threw herself into Fenris's arms. "I finally found you!"

Fenris was caught off guard by the unexpected hug and stumbled back a little while grabbing her waist in surprise. She hugged his neck while pressing herself to him tightly and he felt relieved that he hadn't put on his sharp chest plate that morning. When Fenris took hold of her shoulders and gently pulled her back, she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Where have you been?" she asked in a trembling voice. "Why haven't you come home or contacted us? We've been so worried!"

Fenris took a step back, confusion and anxiety pricking at his mind. "I-I'm sorry, I don't..."

"What's wrong?" the woman asked, a look of concern on her face. She then seemed to notice the lyrium markings on his arms and neck and furrowed her brows with a frown. "What are those strange tattoos? When did you...?" She then sighed and shook her head, another smile returning to her face. "It doesn't matter. All that matters is I've found you, and now we can be together again."

Fenris grew cold all over and his heart began to beat more rapidly. There was a lump in his throat that made it difficult to swallow before asking the question he was afraid to ask. "Who...are you?"

A look of shock crossed the woman's face as her eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open. She stared at him looking dumbfounded then took a step forward. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice rising in alarm. "H-how can you ask that? How can you not know me?"

As she stepped forward Fenris stepped back. "I-I... My memory... I can't remember..." He stumbled over his words clumsily, unable to figure out how to explain himself. Who was this woman? Was she from his forgotten past? Could she be...?

"Are you...my sister, Varania?" he asked, a small feeling of hope rising.

The woman jerked back as if he had struck her, looking more hurt than before. "Your sister?" she asked in disbelief. "I'm Desiree! Your _wife_!"

Time seemed to stand still at that moment. Shock, panic, confusion, and nausea hit Fenris all at once, and he thought he would collapse from the blow. He could only stand frozen in place, his mind numbed by the jarring news as he stared at the beautiful woman calling herself his wife. Fenris's mouth moved as if to speak, but so many thoughts were racing through his head he didn't even know what to say or ask first. Before he could think of anything, Desiree spoke up.

"How could you forget?" she asked, her hand clutched over her chest as though her heart were in pain. "How do you not remember?"

Guilt gripped Fenris and he glanced at the floor, unable to meet her sad eyes. "I... Something was done to me and...my memory was lost. I remember nothing beyond being Danarius's slave."

"Slave?!" Desiree gasped. "You were only supposed to be hired for a job, not turned into a slave!"

Fenris's head jerked up, his eyes wide. "Hired? What are you talking about?" he asked in surprised confusion. Hadn't he always been a slave?

Desiree fidgeted uncomfortably, a small frown on her face. "Well, we were looking to leave Tevinter. To save enough coin to gain passage on a ship to anywhere we could and start a new life, but it was difficult on servant wages. Then you said you found a job that might earn us enough to leave. That Magister Danarius was looking for a capable warrior for a 'special mission'. But after you left to report for the job, you...you never came home..."

Desiree looked at him with wet eyes brimming with tears. "I-I thought you might have been killed! That it was a trick and you were used as some blood sacrifice! I tried asking about you at the mansion, but I was turned away outside the gates." She sniffled and wiped away her tears. "I thought for sure I'd lost my beloved..."

Fenris swallowed hard, unsure of what to do. Whoever her husband had been, it wasn't him. Not anymore. Still, he at least owed her an explanation of what had happened to him, and why he left.

"These tattoos..." he began, looking at the markings on his arm and hand. "They are made of lyrium, and give me a special ability. No doubt that was the 'special mission' Danarius wanted me for." He closed his hand into a tight fist, scowling lightly. "They were forced upon my entire body in a ritual, seared into my flesh. My first memory is of pain and agony. Everything else was driven from my mind. After that, I was nothing more than a slave and bodyguard for Danarius. My entire past was forgotten."

There was a look of distress on Desiree's face after the revelation. "S-so, you've forgotten everything? E-even your own family?" she asked, her voice faltering.

Fenris flinched, his guilt growing. "I'm sorry, I-"

Desiree stepped closer, a small, trembling smile on her face, though she was still on the verge of tears. "It's ok, my love." she said in a shaky voice. "W-we'll get you better again. Now that I've found you, everything will be ok. We can go home."

There was tension in Fenris's chest at the look of uneasy hope in her eyes. What was he supposed to do? How could he explain that he couldn't go with her? That they couldn't be together again?

"I-I can't." he said nervously. "I can't leave..."

A look of confusion crossed Desiree's face. "What? W-well, if you can't leave, then we can come here. Varania is eager to see you again too. We can live as a family again. It doesn't matter where we are, as long as we're together."

Fenris grew anxious, knowing he would have to force her to lose her 'husband' again. He looked at her sadly and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Desiree. I've...begun a new life after escaping Danarius." He took a deep breath then let it out. "I cannot be with you."

The look of heartbreak on her face was agonizing. For a moment she stood staring at him in shock, seeming to be processing his words. She then shook her head, as if unable to believe what she had just heard.

"H-how could you do this?" she whispered, her pain reflected in her eyes. "Do you know what I've gone through these past few years without you? I believed you were dead! It wasn't until news started spreading around about Hadriana's downfall at the hands of Magister Danarius's escaped Elven bodyguard that I even started to think you may still be alive!"

Fenris's insides became painfully tight at the mention of Hadriana and a 'downfall', but before he could question further, Desiree continued, her voice growing more frantic.

"It was so hard gathering information and trying to find out the truth! I hoped against hope that the 'escaped Elven bodyguard' was really you, and it was! I've finally found you again, a-and now you would send me away?!"

Fenris held up his hands, wanting to calm the hysterical young woman, but was already struggling with regret and self-loathing. He took a step closer to her. "Please, listen to me..."

"What about me? What about your sister?" Desiree asked, tears streaming down her cheeks. "What about our _son_?"

Fenris's mouth fell open and he halted mid-step. Had he heard correctly? A son? He was a father as well as a husband? Fenris's arms dropped to his sides again and he suddenly felt weak. Could this situation get any worse?

"A wife and child? A family?" a voice from behind asked quietly.

Apparently it could.

Fenris slowly turned around and looked up in dread as Anders, now fully dressed, walked down the stairs with slow, heavy steps. There was a look of pained disbelief on his face as he glanced between Fenris and Desiree. He must have been woken up by the loud talking and was listening in.

"Anders, this isn't-"

"Who is this man?" Desiree asked with a hint of worry and suspicion. "What's he doing here? Why was he in your room?"

Fenris turned back to Desiree with an uncomfortable frown. "Uh, this is Anders. He's my...partner."

Desiree's mouth fell open and her eyes grew wide. "P-partner? You...you're gay?!"

Fenris held up his hands defensively, stammering in his panic. "N-no, that's not...! We aren't gay! We just...happen to be in love with each other...a-and both men... But it's not a matter of gender! I mean, we've both been with women before too! So, we, uh..."

"You also slept with another woman?!" Desiree exclaimed, a pained look of betrayal on her face.

Fenris cringed at his stupidity and decided to stop speaking until he thought his words through carefully first. When a hand was suddenly placed on his shoulder from behind he nearly jumped in surprise and quickly turned his head to look at Anders standing behind him, the mage's eyes cast down to avoid his own.

"You two should talk..." Anders said quietly, refusing to look at Fenris. "And think carefully about the _right _thing to do." His hand tensed on Fenris's shoulder. "Not everyone can have what you've got..." he added in a sad tone.

Fenris's eyes widened and his heart ached with a sharp throb. He knew exactly what the mage was trying to say. Anders wanted him to choose his family over their relationship. Before Fenris could say anything, Anders stepped past him and moved toward the open door, keeping his head down and not even glancing at Desiree.

"Anders, wait!" Fenris called after him.

Without stopping or looking back, Anders grabbed the door and shut it behind him quickly, leaving the other two alone. Fenris began to go after him, but Desiree suddenly moved into his path and pressed herself against him, stopping him from reaching the door.

"Please, don't go!" she begged, teary-eyed. "Don't leave me again."

Fenris looked at Desiree, then to the door, then back to Desiree again. He desperately wanted to go after Anders, but Desiree's tearful plea kept him rooted in place. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently tried to pull her off.

"Desiree..." he began, tilting his head to look at the door again.

Desiree suddenly took his face in her hands and pulled his attention back to her, looking into his eyes. "Just because you've forgotten us doesn't mean we don't exist." she said softly. "Don't you want things to go back to the way they were? Don't you want to be with your family? You haven't even seen our son since he was just a babe..."

The desperation and pain on her face was heart wrenching, and Fenris became torn. On the one hand, he wanted to find Anders and tell him he wouldn't leave, but he couldn't just walk out on this woman whom he must have loved once. Who still loved him. The tension growing in his chest felt as though it was smothering his heart and making it hard to breathe. What was supposed to do?

"Kiss me."

The words caught Fenris by surprise and he blinked in confusion. "W-what?"

"Kiss me..." Desiree repeated, her voice and face becoming alluring. "And perhaps it'll trigger something inside of you..."

Fenris opened his mouth to refuse, but as he looked into her eyes he felt a strange urge that stopped him from rejecting her. Instead his eyes wandered to the luscious lips that awaited his own, and a desire to feel them against his began to rise. A feeling brought on by his forgotten past, perhaps?

Sliding his arms down her shoulders and to her waist, Fenris leaned down slowly and closed his eyes. Their lips met and her hands caressed his face as he held her to him more tightly, a soothing feeling of warmth overcoming him and easing his tension. They began kissing passionately, and when Desiree parted her lips Fenris opened his own and felt her tongue slip in. The touch from her lips and tongue was growing warmer, and suddenly Fenris's mouth began to tingle strangely. His eyes widened in shock as a feeling of numbness replaced the tingling sensation and started to spread from his mouth and through his face.

Overwhelmed with panic, Fenris tried to pull away, but Desiree's grip on his face tightened, keeping him in place while she continued to 'kiss' him. Before he knew it, the numbness had spread from his face into his head and he felt a loss of control over his own body. There was no response when Fenris tried to move or get some kind of reaction from it. His limp limbs felt weak and heavy, unable to support him anymore, and he realized it was Desiree holding him by the head that kept him standing. How could she possibly be that strong?

Suddenly, the grip on him was released and Desiree stepped aside while Fenris dropped to his knees and fell forward on his stomach, the side of his head smacking the ground when he landed, though he couldn't even feel it. Fenris struggled to move his paralyzed body, but to no avail. A pair of feet beneath a long skirt appeared in front of his face, and Fenris barely managed to glare up at Desiree out the corner of his eye.

Desiree grinned at Fenris. "Don't worry, you're not going to die..." she said in a smooth voice that sounded somewhat hollow compared to before. "At least, not yet. We still have plans for you."

Fenris gritted his teeth and tried to speak, but his voice wouldn't come. Desiree only chuckled in amusement. "Oh, and don't worry about your dear lover, he'll be well taken care of..." she said suggestively.

Fenris's narrow eyes grew wide with fear and his shallow breath caught in his throat at those words. Anders was in danger, and he had no way of warning or protecting him. Desiree held her hand out over Fenris with a sinister smile.

"Now, sleep..." she said in a low voice, waving her hand outward.

Everything blurred in Fenris's vision as a wave of fatigue washed over him and his eyelids fluttered shut. He was unable to fight back the darkness that consumed him, and consciousness faded away.

* * *

Anders walked slowly through the crowded town, wandering aimlessly with his head down and his hands in his pockets. Though dozens of people surrounded him and there was activity all around, he was all alone in his thoughts. He had always known the day would come when he and Fenris would be forced to part, one way or another. He just hadn't been expecting it to happen like this. A forgotten wife arriving to take Fenris back to his family. As desperately as he wanted to hold on to him, Anders would never force Fenris to abandon the loved ones from his past. He may never be able to have a family himself, but he wouldn't deny Fenris his own. Even if it was agonizing to let go.

After a while, Anders finally looked up and realized he had wandered all the way to the marketplace for some reason. People all around were busy talking, buying, selling and running errands. He wasn't exactly in the mood for such a lively atmosphere. Heaving a deep sigh, Anders decided to go to the Hanged Man for a drink. Perhaps he could actually manage to get drunk for a change. As he started to cut back through the marketplace, an unsettling feeling he hadn't noticed before made him slow his pace then come to a stop. Anders stood completely still amidst the bustling crowd while his eyes shifted about, searching for the source of the sensation. Someone was focusing on him.

_"Anders..."_

The soft voice saying his name made Anders gasp quietly and whirl about, but there was no one around him who had spoken. Rather, the voice was in his head. His mind was being invaded.

_"Come to me..."_

Anders's heart began to race in panic and he spun about again, feeling a pull toward the Merchant's Guild district. Standing in the district entrance was a figure clad in a brown hooded cloak with their face concealed in the darkness of the hood. Though the face was hidden, Anders knew they were looking directly at him. Someone suddenly bumped into him from behind and he stumbled a little, briefly losing sight of the figure. When he quickly looked back up the person was gone. Breaking out in a cold sweat, Anders looked about worriedly, but couldn't spot the figure again.

_"Come to me, Anders..."_

This time he felt the pull coming from the other side of the market and quickly turned toward Kirkwall's exit. There the figure stood facing him again, and slowly extended their left arm from beneath the cloak. A long, light lavender sleeve that ended above the wrist revealed the slender, tan skinned hand being held out to him.

_"Come to me, and be mine..."_

Anders's eyes widened in shock, then his lids slowly closed half way, his eyes taken on a glazed look as his face melted into a blank canvas. Anders began walking with slow, heavy steps toward the beckoning figure, no longer in control of himself or his fate.

* * *

The first thing Fenris was aware of upon regaining consciousness was a sharp ache in his head from the earlier impact with the floor. Then his raised arms that were restrained above him, a hard wall against his back, and a hard floor beneath him. He winced as he forced his eyes open then shook his head to try clearing his mind and blinked a few times. Slowly lifting his head, he looked around the the dimly lit room of stone walls and a stone floor with only torches to provide light and quickly realized where he was: the abandoned slaver den.

Panic and fear set in as Fenris looked at his shackled wrists chaining him to the wall and started to struggle, then froze when he heard voices nearby.

"It is done, then?"

"Yes. Mostly."

"What do you mean 'mostly'?"

"A small but strong element that can break the hold. I could not suppress that part of his mind, but the rest is enslaved. Do not let him see the other and it will remain so."

Fenris grew tense with anger, a fierce scowl crossing his face. The voices came from beyond the room's closed door, but he recognized one voice as Desiree's. Of course. How could he be such a fool? How could he not see? It was just another trap. Another one of Danarius's attempts to recapture him, no doubt. And he fell for it. Now with no weapon and no companions to help him, Fenris would have to rely on himself and his own abilities to escape.

Before he could make an attempt at anything, the door suddenly swung open and two people walked in. Desiree and a cloaked figure with the hood pulled up, concealing their face. When Desiree saw Fenris awake she moved to stand before him, the other person following closely behind.

"Finally awake, my beloved?" Desiree asked lovingly.

Fenris glared up at her heatedly. "So, it was all a lie? Being my wife, having a child? A family life back in Tevinter?"

Desiree smiled while raising a brow. "Disappointed? You didn't seem particularly happy about it just a short while ago. You couldn't stand the thought of having to leave your dear mage."

At the mention of Anders, Fenris's anger was quickly replaced with concern. The mage had left the mansion and Fenris had no knowledge of what happened to him after that. Only Desiree's vague comment before he lost consciousness.

"Where is Anders?" he asked sharply. "If you've done anything to him..."

A chuckle came from the darkness of the cloaked figure's hood and Fenris looked from Desiree to them. He hadn't really noticed them, as they had remained silent the whole time.

"How curious you'd be more concerned for a mage's well being instead of your own..."

Fenris furrowed his brows, knowing the voice sounded familiar and tried to place it. A chill then ran down his spine and his skin prickled as his blood went cold with fear. "No..."

The cloaked figure raised their hands to take hold of the hood, their left hand having a darker skin tone than the right, and pulled the hood back to reveal their face.

"You..." Fenris growled.

"So nice to see you again, Fenris." Hadriana said in a less than sincere tone and an even less than pleasant smile.

Fenris snorted in contempt. "So, Danarius's pet returns to try again. Didn't learn your lesson the first time? Maybe this time I'll cut off the...other...arm..."

Something wasn't right. Hadriana had two arms now. But how?

Hadriana lifted her left arm and pulled the sleeve back some, looking at it with a displeased frown. "What do you think of the new arm?" she asked.

The color of the skin was a little darker than her natural skin tone, and the fingers were longer and a little more slender than the ones on her other hand.

"It's...not yours..." Fenris replied softly.

Hadriana smiled bitterly. "Not bad for an uneducated slave."

Ignoring Fenris's spiteful glare, Hadriana pushed the sleeve down and lowered her arm again. "After you so 'graciously' allowed me to live, I returned to Tevinter in disgrace. I no longer had the power I did before you cut my arm off, and became worthless in the eyes of the other Magisters. Even Danarius." She then scowled at Fenris. "I was shunned and thrown aside like garbage. All my hard work, all my effort to get to the top, undone in a single moment! And it's all because of you!" she shouted.

Fenris smirked in amusement. "Finally learned what it's like to be at the bottom, have you?"

Hadriana stepped closer, her eyes sharp as daggers. "I was already at the bottom once. I had to fight and claw my way to where I was, and you knocked me down again!" She looked at her left arm again in disgust. "I even had to resort to a filthy elf slave for a new arm!"

Fenris's smirk vanished and his eyes grew wide before narrowing in anger. "You depraved bitch..." he growled through clenched teeth.

His anger seemed to please Hadriana and she smiled smugly. "Oh, don't worry about her. She won't live a life of one armed difficulty... Because she's already dead. Had to get the blood to perform the attachment spell from somewhere, after all." She grinned cruelly. "Not that it was any big loss..."

Fenris's blood boiled in fury and his teeth clenched to the point that it made his jaw ache. "What is the point of all this?!" he yelled. "Is this some pathetic attempt to get back into Danarius's good graces by capturing me and bringing me back? You will never succeed!"

"Well, it's a good thing that's not my plan then." Hadriana replied.

Fury gave way to confusion and Fenris eyed Hadriana in suspicion. "What do you mean? What do you want then?"

Hadriana smiled. "Oh, I'm just going to make you suffer humiliation and despair as I did." she answered casually, then her lips parted in a wicked grin. "Then I'm going to _kill_ you."

The cold look in those icy blue eyes told Fenris she wasn't bluffing. He grew tense with anxiety, but didn't give his feelings away. "Oh? I suspect Danarius wouldn't be too happy with that." he responded calmly.

Hadriana's grin didn't waver. "What that old bastard wants doesn't matter to me anymore. All I care about is having my revenge."

"Do what you must, just remember our deal." Desiree suddenly said.

Hadriana glanced at her, seeming displeased with being interrupted. "Of course, I haven't forgotten."

Fenris sneered at the other woman in spite. "And what are you getting out of this, 'wife'?" he asked harshly. "Coin? A promotion? Or maybe freedom from slavery?"

"Slavery?" Desiree echoed with curiosity. "Ah, you must be confused by this form..."

Her body suddenly began to glow brightly and a flash of light made Fenris glance away for a second before looking back and beholding the woman's true form: a desire demon.

"Much better..." she sighed in satisfaction, rubbing her own body while floating inches above the ground.

Fenris's eyes grew wide in shock. Desiree... Desi...re... Desire. He could have smacked himself at that moment. Then he recalled an earlier event that made him feel sick to his stomach.

Fenris turned his head and spat in disgust. "Disgusting demon filth!" he hissed, looking back at her. "You dared to touch me with those foul lips!"

"Well, that was uncalled for." Desiree responded, showing no actual emotion with her words.

Fenris turned on Hadriana. "Should have guessed you would resort to using a demon for help. You always were too pathetic to be able to do anything on your own. That's why you were never taken seriously by anyone."

A look of fury flashed across Hadriana's face and she closed in on Fenris quickly. "Silence, slave!" she shouted, then backhanded him across the face, making his head turn.

A small grin crept across Fenris's profile and he turned back to her with a smug chuckle. "You intend to make me suffer with such pitiful attacks? I'd die from laughter at your weak attempts before you even kill me."

Hadriana scowled and pulled her hand back for another blow, then paused and closed her eyes with a deep breath as if calming herself. She lowered her hand and opened her eyes once more with a smirk. "No, I have a much better idea for making you suffer..."

Hadriana looked over at Desiree who had floated over to a corner of the room and was levitating in the air with her legs crossed and arms folded. She nodded to Hadriana and looked over at the entrance of the room while extending a hand and curled her fingers inward as if beckoning.

"Come."

Slow, shuffling footsteps coming from the overshadowed doorway drew Fenris's attention to it, a strong feeling of dread forming a knot in the pit of his stomach. When Anders walked out of the shadows, blindfolded and wearing only his pants and boots, the knot grew unbearably tight.

"Anders!" Fenris called, but the mage didn't even react to his voice. Anders walked up to stand behind Hadriana looking over her shoulder, his face appearing emotionless. Fenris narrowed his eyes at her sharply. "What have you done to him?"

"Just a little mind manipulation." Desiree answered instead. "He's now under our control."

Fenris's eyes widened in panic as realization hit him. They were going to use Anders to make him suffer.

There was a hint of glee in Hadriana's eyes as she looked down on Fenris. "Simply killing you wouldn't have been enough for me. I wanted to make you suffer, to crush you. At first I thought to go after your friends, but when I looked into them in order to locate them I discovered something very interesting..." She looked over her shoulder at Anders. "The lone wolf had found a lover. A mage, no less. Imagine my surprise..."

She looked back at Fenris with a taunting grin. "Taking the one you love away from you... What a wonderful way to crush your heart."

Fenris clenched his fists and glared at Hadriana, his face twisted with fury. "You... If you hurt him..." he growled in a low voice, but a sudden laugh from Hadriana cut off Fenris's words and he looked at her startled.

"Hurt him?" she repeated with a look of amusement. "I don't intend to _hurt_ him. In fact, I intend to do the exact opposite..." she said with a malicious smile.

A wave of fear and revulsion washed over Fenris before being driven away by rage as his lyrium markings flared brightly. "Don't you touch him!" he screamed.

"Don't even think about it!"

The loud command was so sudden that Fenris was taken by surprise and lost concentration, the blue light vanishing quickly. Hadriana glared down at him intensely, causing him to give pause.

"Don't even try using that little trick of yours." she said with a hard edge in her voice. "Or you'll regret it."

Fenris scoffed derisively. "What will you do, slap me again?"

Reaching behind her back, Hadriana removed a dagger that had been sheathed in the straps on her dress. "Oh, I won't touch you at all..." she responded, then turned to hand the dagger to Anders. "However..."

After Hadriana turned to Anders, Desiree made a motion with her hand then held it out palm up, which Anders mirrored, and Hadriana placed the dagger in the mage's hand. The demon closed her fingers then brought her hand up near her collar bone, holding it closed as if something were being held in it. Anders mirrored the motion again, pressing the dagger against his own collar bone. Then Desiree made a slow, slight movement downward with her hand, and Anders's hand moved the same way. The blade pressed into his skin and a small crimson trail of blood started to run down from the cut he had made, but the mage didn't so much as flinch at the self-inflicted injury.

Fenris's eyes widened in terror. "Stop!" he shouted.

Desiree lifted her hand away from her chest and Anders did the same, following the demon's motion and handing the dagger back to Hadriana. After making another gesture, Desiree returned to folding her arms, which Anders didn't follow this time. With a simple wave of her hand she had the power to control Anders and make him do anything, even cause harm to himself, and the mage had no way of fighting back. Now, neither did Fenris.

He hung his head in defeat, closing his eyes. "Alright." he muttered in resignation. "I wont...try to escape..."

Placing the dagger in the pocket of Anders's pants to keep it close at hand, Hadriana turned back to Fenris and smiled smugly in satisfaction. "That's a good slave..." she praised mockingly.

Fenris seethed angrily at her taunt and lifted his eyes to glare at her before they drifted over to his lover, blindfolded and bound to a demon's will. He made a silent vow to rescue Anders, no matter what.

"You should quit sulking..." Hadriana said, reaching up behind her shoulder to caress Anders's cheek tenderly. "And just enjoy the show." She then turned her face into Anders's and nuzzled it with a smile. "Isn't that right, pet?"

At Hadriana's touch, Anders reacted with a small shudder and his hands grabbed her hips almost eagerly. He pressed his face into her neck and kissed along its length while rubbing his hands up her body. A light groan hummed in Hadriana's throat and she closed her eyes and tilted her head, further exposing her neck to Anders's lips while his hands grasped her breasts. He squeezed and fondled them then gave a thrust of his hips against Hadriana, pressing and rubbing his groin against her backside. She slipped her hand from his cheek to reach down behind her and take hold of the bulge in his pants.

"He's certainly...enthusiastic..." she said, grinning at Fenris. "Perhaps you don't satisfy him as well as you think."

Fenris's jaw clenched in anger. "That's not it! We just haven't done it in a while!" he snapped, then quickly shut his mouth, regretting letting that slip out.

Hadriana let out a laugh. "Aw, relationship not working out?" she asked with fake sympathy, then returned her attention to Anders. "Don't worry, my pet, your new mistress will take good care of you..."

Hatred burned in Fenris's chest and his stomach turned at the thought of his lover receiving satisfaction from anyone but him. Especially this despicable bitch. When Hadriana started loosening her dress his stomach clenched tightly as it slipped off her and fell to the ground, leaving her in only her underwear. The disturbing view of the half naked Hadriana was nothing compared to the sight of Anders taking hold of one bare breast while the other hand reached down in front of her and started massaging her pussy through the underwear. His fingers moved in rough circular motions and Hadriana tilted her head back with her eyes closed letting out a light moan. When Anders pinched her nipple she gasped quietly and arched her back, her tongue licking her dark lips. The more he touched her and rubbed her pussy, the wetter the material of her panties became as soft pants and groans escaped her lips.

Hadriana suddenly pulled out of Anders's arms and turned to face him, taking hold of one arm and pulling him to the side so their profiles were to Fenris. She rubbed her hands up and down his firm torso with a smile. "On your knees, pet, and please your mistress." she ordered seductively.

Without hesitation, Anders got down on one knee before Hadriana and took hold of her foot and calf, lifting her leg and leaning down to kiss the top of her foot. He tilted his head and kissed the front of her shin, then placed another kiss farther up on the side of her calf. Anders made a trail of light kisses up to her inner thigh then put her leg over his shoulder as he leaned in and pressed his lips to the front of her pussy through her wet underwear. Hadriana let out another groan and rested a hand on Anders's head, pushing her hips forward some.

Fenris swallowed hard, feeling as if bile were rising in his throat. Even if he turned away it wouldn't do anything about the sound of that bitch's moans as she received pleasure from _his_ lover. As badly as he wanted to, Fenris couldn't risk breaking free to save them both if it endangered Anders. He'd have to wait for his opportunity. But for now, all he could do was watch helplessly.

Anders licked the front of Hadriana's soaked panties a few times, then used his thumb to pull them aside and expose her pink, wet pussy. He slid his tongue over her clitoris then closed his lips on it and began sucking roughly. Hadriana let out a gasping moan and grabbed Anders's head with both hands.

"Ah! Just like that..." she moaned.

Continuing to suck her clitoris and tease it with his tongue, Anders brought his free hand between Hadriana's legs and pressed the tip of his middle finger to her wet entrance then slowly slid it deep inside of her. He moved his finger up and down swiftly and hard, reaching deep into her hole and making her groan with each thrust. Hadriana dug her fingers into Anders's hair and rocked her hips slowly, pressing and rubbing her pussy against his tongue and lips. He twisted his finger around inside of her and churned her insides, stirring up more of her cum as she continued to grow wetter by the second. Her juices covered his finger and ran down to drip from his knuckle as he began fingering her harder before adding another finger and doubling his efforts. The sounds of his fingers working her wet, dripping hole were almost as loud as Hadriana's voice as they were thrust deeper and harder into her pussy at a more rapid pace. While his fingers were pumped vigorously in and out of the tight, wet hole, Anders's tongue flicked and stimulated the exposed clitoris, drawing harder gasps and pants from Hadriana's lips while her legs quivered from pleasure. As she grew closer to an orgasm, Hadriana's voice came out in louder, more intense moans and her face grew flushed in the height of ecstasy.

"Oh, yes! I'm coming! I'm-!"

She gasped heavily then threw her head back with a loud cry, thrusting her pussy forward against Anders's mouth upon reaching her climax. Hadriana's body shuddered from the pleasure that weakened her momentarily and she leaned over Anders taking deep breaths, a soft final groan passing through her lips. Anders slid his wet fingers out slowly then licked her dripping pussy clean.

After catching her breath, Hadriana removed her leg from Anders's shoulder then took hold of his chin and pulled up, making him stand again. "Such a good, obedient boy." she praised, caressing his cheek. "Unlike a certain someone..." she added, and cast a glance in the scowling Fenris's direction.

Hadriana's fingers trailed down Anders's cheek and neck then down his chest and stomach to the front of his pants where she grasped the large bulge. "And it seems you enjoyed making your mistress feel good."

While rubbing and fondling Anders's manhood through his pants, Hadriana pressed her bare upper body firmly against his. "I think you've earned a treat..." she murmured, then stood on her toes to lightly kiss the mage's lips.

Anders kissed back seemingly out of instinct while taking hold of her hips and the kiss grew deeper as Hadriana undid his pants and reached inside to remove the hard, throbbing erection within. She pulled out of the kiss and slowly lowered herself to her knees letting her bare skin rub against his until she was facing the mage's erection, stiff and swollen with sexual desire. Hadriana pumped her hand slowly up and down the length, observing it with hungry eyes.

"Mm... What a shame such a nice dick is going to waste while his ass gets all the attention." she said before leaning in and dragging her tongue along the underside of the head then over the tip.

As Hadriana started pumping her hand faster, she swirled her tongue in circles around the head and licked the semen already starting to leak out. She then slid her hand down to the base and started kissing and sucking the shaft all over. Anders's hands suddenly grasped her head and pulled her face more firmly against his groin in impatient desperation.

"You poor neglected thing." Hadriana chuckled. "I'll make sure you're plenty satisfied..."

Flicking her tongue over the wet head, Hadriana closed her lips around it and began going down on the mage's manhood until the whole length was in. Anders's body shuddered once more and he leaned his head back with a soft groan, his fingers intertwining with Hadriana's hair. She moved her head back and forth slowly in a steady rhythm along the hard erection filling her mouth. She gradually began picking up speed and sucking more vigorously, her lips and tongue getting the shaft wet with saliva and making it slide more easily. The more Hadriana sucked and slurped Anders's long deprived manhood, the more he moaned and groaned in a voice of ecstasy and pleasure.

The sound of Anders's voice sent shivers down Fenris's spine and had his heart racing in his chest. The familiar moans that he hadn't heard in almost a month filled his ears, while a throb of arousal filled his groin. Fenris gritted his teeth and swallowed hard, unable to suppress the desire growing within him. Even as he struggled to remain calm, he could feel his manhood hardening in his pants until it felt like it was being suffocated in the tight material. Fenris squirmed uncomfortably with a stifled groan, only able to wish he was the one causing those beautiful, erotic noises.

Anders moaned and panted heavily as Hadriana continued to take him deep into her mouth with each thrust, his hands now gripping her head and guiding it eagerly. She kept going with seemingly little difficulty, even as she swallowed the whole length until it reached the back of her throat. The mage began thrusting his hips to make her deep throat him, barely able to contain himself in his desire for release. The swift, rough movements of Hadriana's head and her tight, wet lips were drawing Anders closer to his orgasm, indicated by his intensifying moans. He hunched over her while gripping her head as his muscles grew tight in the peak of pleasure and he let out a loud moan that seemed to bounce off the stone walls. Hadriana went down on him all the way and her throat rose and fell while she gulped down the mage's entire load before pulling back and licking her lips.

"Such a heavy load." Hadriana remarked breathlessly. "But it seems you still have plenty of stamina left..." She pumped her hand up and down Anders's still hard erection, seeming pleased.

Grabbing the waist of her underwear, Hadriana pulled them down and removed them while sitting back, leaving herself naked. "Come, my pet," she beckoned as she opened her legs. "Enter me and fill me up with all that you have."

As soon as she commanded it, Anders dropped to his knees between Hadriana's legs and leaned forward over her while she laid back. As he took hold of her hips, she grabbed his erection and guided it to her opening, pressing the head against her wet hole. Almost immediately, Anders pushed the full length of his dick deep into Hadriana and she gasped with a loud moan as it filled her pussy in an instant. Anders pressed his face into the crook of Hadriana's neck and she wrapped her arms around him as he lifted the lower half of her body off the ground and began thrusting into her with great force and little restraint. Only her toes were on the floor as Anders kept her hips raised while driving his dick into Hadriana with aggressive thrusts that had both of their bodies shuddering and shivering from the motion. Moans and cries of pleasure rang out in the air as Anders repeatedly buried himself inside of Hadriana's pussy hard and fast as if unable to control himself.

"Ohh! So good! It feels wonderful!" Hadriana cried in ecstasy.

Every muscle in Fenris's body was painfully tight and his chest ached with the tension of his anger mixed with infuriating arousal that he really didn't want to feel. It felt as though his heart were being torn in half, but the pain was dull compared to the ache of unsatisfied longing and desire throbbing in his rock hard erection. This display of debauchery was turning him on far too much for his liking. But Anders's sweet voice, hard, tight body wet with sweat, and firm, throbbing manhood only fueled Fenris's sexual frustration and made it impossible to calm himself. He bit down on his bottom lip to the point of almost drawing blood, but still his overwhelming arousal could not be driven away. His chance to escape had better come soon. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out.

Anders wrapped his arms beneath Hadriana's back and pulled her up without letting his erection slip out then sat back with her in his lap. He gripped her ass tightly and she began lifting and lowering herself with great speed and force, each thrust drawing a loud moan from her lips as Anders's dick hit deep inside of her. Hadriana hugged his neck tightly and pressed her body to his, rubbing her breasts against him and creating greater heat and friction between their sweaty bodies. She grasped his long hair and pressed their lips together in a firm kiss while continuing to ride the mage and let out muffled moans that hummed in her throat. Suddenly, Hadriana let go of Anders and broke off the kiss to plant her hands on his chest and roughly pushed him down to lie on his back. Still mounted on the mage's dick, she began moving her entire body up and down to ride him harder and with more speed making his manhood reach even deeper inside of her each time she went down on it. They both sounded as though they were already approaching their climaxes again as heavy pants and loud moaning filled the air. Anders began squirming and gripped Hadriana's hips while moving his own to thrust deep inside of her eagerly, his voice growing more intense on the verge of his orgasm.

"That's it, let it all out!" Hadriana gasped breathlessly. "Spill every last drop inside of me!"

Fenris's eyes grew wide with panic. "Anders, stop!" he shouted, though it was useless.

Anders gritted his teeth then threw his head back with a loud cry and jerked Hadriana's body down on his dick to release a heavy load inside of her. Hadriana arched and moaned loudly as she reached her own climax then, her body shuddering and shivering from the intense pleasure.

"Ahh... Good boy..." she moaned. "There's so much filling me up..."

Fenris scowled fiercely, a low growl rumbling in his throat. "You... Just what do you think you're doing, you whore?!"

Hadriana looked over at Fenris, the corner of her mouth curling up in a smirk. "Upholding my end of the bargain, of course." she answered.

Hadriana slowly pushed up off of Anders, letting his wet erection slip out of her drenched pussy while he continued to lie on his back breathless and exhausted. Hadriana slowly stood on weakened legs and turned toward Fenris, taking a couple of unsteady steps away from Anders.

"I made a deal with this demon that in exchange for her assistance I would offer her a life as payment." she explained, then grinned sinisterly. "A child, conceived with your lover."

The icy grip of dread and fear made Fenris's blood freeze, and his racing heart sent it coursing through his veins that much faster. She would impregnate herself with Anders's child, then hand it over to a demon? That bitch could do something so wicked so easily? The chill in Fenris's body was driven away by the rising heat of rage that filled him until he felt like he would burn up.

"You wretched snake!" he snapped, bearing his teeth. "I always figured you'd sell your own children to get what you want, but this is pitiful even for you!"

Hadriana tossed her head back with a laugh then planted a hand on her hip and smiled smugly at him. "As if a lowly slave has any business calling me pitiful!" she responded with a superior tone in her voice. "At least Anders isn't complaining. In fact, he seems quite happy with the process. Perhaps he simply enjoys having a woman for a partner again." Her smug smile turned cruel. "Or maybe he's just grown tired of _you_..."

A sharp stabbing pain in his heart made Fenris flinch as those words settled in his mind. Could that really be true? Was he no longer enough for Anders? It's true that he and the mage could never have a 'normal' relationship. After all, they were both men, they couldn't get married, they couldn't have a family, and to top it off, their love was surely destined to end in tragedy. There was no denying that the distance between them had been growing with each passing day since the Vinmark Mountains. Perhaps the events that occurred there made Anders realize that this wasn't what he wanted. If they both made it out of this alive, what would become of them?

As Fenris stared at the stone floor lost in his thoughts of despair, Hadriana suddenly gasped in surprise and he quickly jerked his head back up to see Anders behind her again, both hands grasping and groping her breasts. He had apparently caught his second wind and gotten up without either of them noticing him. Anders slid his tongue up Hadriana's neck to her ear then nipped her earlobe, causing Hadriana to let out a quiet gasp as her body shuddered and her cheeks flushed.

"Ready again so soon?" she asked in surprise as he rubbed his still hard erection against her ass. "We just-oh!"

Anders pushed her forward and she tumbled to the ground on her hands and knees. Before she could move, Anders was already getting down behind her and blindly reaching out to take hold of her hips. His hands found them and he pulled her back to his groin, his manhood sliding up and down between her ass cheeks.

Hadriana jerked her head to look over her shoulder at him. "Easy, pet." she commanded sternly, and Anders stilled himself, though there was a displeased frown on his lips.

Hadriana let out a heavy sigh. "I suppose it can't be helped." she said while reaching back to take hold of Anders's erection and guide it to her wet pussy once more. "After all, I'm sure it's been a while since your poor manhood has been truly satisfied..."

The arrogant grin she flashed at Fenris after the not so subtle remark made him seethe with fury at the implication that he wasn't a satisfying partner. The mage never complained about a lack of satisfaction before, or about being bottom. But the way Anders was so eager with her... Fenris was starting to doubt.

Feeling the head of his erection pressed into the hot, wet lips of Hadriana's pussy, Anders quickly pushed his hips forward and Hadriana leaned her head back with a long moan of ecstasy as he entered her all the way again. Seeming to have a little more restraint than before, Anders bent forward over Hadriana and made deep, hard thrusts into her pussy while gripping her hips tightly. Another moan escaped Hadriana's lips and her arms gave out beneath her, the top half of her body dropping to the stone floor while her hips remained raised. Her body rocked with the force of Anders's thrusts as they increased in speed and force, her nails clawing the ground while her voice started growing more intense. Anders breathed heavily and groaned in pleasure, driving his dick deep and hard into the tight, hot pussy swallowing his erection with each thrust.

The ache was growing to be too much. No matter how he tried to resist, Fenris couldn't fight the growing arousal throbbing painfully in his groin. The other two had ended up closer to him when Anders shoved Hadriana from behind, and Fenris couldn't take his eyes off his lover. It ate him up inside to see his mage with another, but just the sight and sound of Anders was enough to drive him mad with longing. The hard, hot dick in his pants felt like it would burst if it didn't get relief. His pained groan of frustration was barely masked by Hadriana and Anders's own voices.

Anders wrapped his arms around Hadriana then pulled her up on her knees and held her body tightly to his while continuing to drive his dick upward into her soaking pussy with great speed and force. One hand firmly gripped a breast while the other rubbed and massaged her wet clitoris, extracting breathless gasps and loud moans from Hadriana's lips as her pussy began to drip with excitement and pleasure. Her inner thighs were splashed with a mixture of her and Anders's cum each time he slammed his dick up into her dripping hole. Hadriana reached behind with both hands and grasped the back of Anders's head while arching her back.

"Yes, that's it! Make me come again! Fill me with your hot sperm!" she cried.

As if driven by Hadriana's command, Anders seemed to increase his efforts in pleasuring her. He squeezed her breast then pinched her nipple while his fingers rubbed her clitoris hard and fast. Her pussy convulsed and squeezed Anders's manhood each time it penetrated deep inside of her and hit the sweet spot that drove her closer to the limit with each thrust. Hadriana moaned uncontrollably while the mage drove his dick into her again and again, both of them seeming to be approaching another orgasm in their heightened sexual excitement. An intense cry of orgasmic pleasure burst forth from Hadriana's lips while gripped in the height of ecstasy and Anders continued thrusting roughly into her pussy for a few moments more before shoving his dick all the way in and throwing his head back with a cry of his own, his erection throbbing and twitching while it released another large load inside of Hadriana. Panting heavily with breathlessness, he slowly pulled his wet manhood out and some of the contents dripped from Hadriana's soaked pussy.

Fenris's chest heaved with each breath and ached with every heartbeat. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple to drip from his jaw while more made his hair cling to his face and neck. He felt agony mentally, emotionally, and especially physically. How could his body betray him in such a way as to become so aroused at this? He kept his head down, unable to watch Anders's manhood entering that vile bitch and bringing her pleasure, though it didn't stop his ears from hearing it.

A pair of feet stepped into his view and Fenris quickly lifted his eyes to meet Hadriana's, trying to avoid seeing anything else of her on the way up. She stood in front of him with a hand on her hip and a smug smirk on her face.

"What's wrong, aren't you having fun?" she asked teasingly.

Fenris's nose crinkled in a sneer. "Do not stand so close, it stinks like rotten fish. I hate fish."

The grin vanished and Hadriana's brow furrowed. "What stinks like-ah!" Her face turned red with anger or embarrassment. "H-how dare you!" she shouted, and backhanded him again, though it was considerably weaker now that most of her energy was spent from sex.

Hadriana snorted. "Well, _you're_ not the one who needs to enjoy it." she said with an angry scowl, then her eyes drifted downward. "Although..." she began, a grin spreading across her face again. "You seem to be enjoying _something_..."

Without warning, Hadriana suddenly pressed her foot to Fenris's erect manhood in his pants and he gasped with a jolt of surprise. The pad and toes of her foot rubbed and pressed his swollen erection, creating the barest hint of stimulation and drawing out a low growl that turned into a stifled groan in Fenris's throat.

"Did you enjoy watching?" she asked with an amused grin. "Are you some sort of pervert who likes to be a spectator or something?"

Fenris lifted his eyes and glared at Hadriana through his bangs, flinching in his scowl when she pressed harder. He clenched his jaw and kept his mouth shut, worried that if he opened it to reply something other than words might come out.

"Does it hurt? Is it unbearable?" she asked, sliding her foot up and down the length of Fenris's erection and seeming to enjoy his discomfort. "Shall I do something nice for you?"

"You are about as nice as a rabid wolf and just as pleasant." Fenris grumbled. "And I would rather get relief from one of those than you."

Hadriana laughed derisively and took a step back. "As if I'd touch some dirty elf." she replied, then glanced over her shoulder towards Anders. "I thought I'd let you feel your beloved mage one last time..."

The anger melted from Fenris's face and he looked past Hadriana to Anders sitting back on his heels behind her. He was silent and void of emotion or thought. The puppet of a demon, a toy of the woman he despised most, and a shell of the man Fenris knew. But he was still Anders, and Fenris still longed for him. There were more urgent matters to consider, but all the blood occupying his lower head was making it difficult for him to think clearly at the moment.

"Or if you'd prefer, I could just kill you now." Hadriana said, interrupting his thoughts.

Fenris grimaced angrily, reminded of the more urgent matter. It would be difficult to save them if he was dead, and he had been a little to distracted to come up with an escape plan. He turned his attention back to Hadriana, more than a little skeptical of her offer.

"What's your game, you twisted wench?" he asked.

Hadriana merely chuckled. "Perhaps I'd like to watch." she answered with a grin.

Somehow Fenris doubted that was the case. He knew she only wanted to humiliate him, but he didn't know how. He discreetly cast a glance in Desiree's direction, seeing her simply watching with a stoic face and finding it impossible to figure out what she might be thinking. She was another problem to contend with. As long as she could control Anders, it would be difficult for Fenris to make an escape attempt. However, she was following Hadriana's orders, so if Hadriana were out of the picture...

"Well?"

Once again his thoughts were interrupted by that irritating voice, and Fenris looked back to her once more. For now, he'd have to play along. He just wished he was a little less eager to do so.

"Yes." he finally answered. "I...want him."

The look of amused arrogance on Hadriana's face nearly drove Fenris's arousal away. He felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment at his admittance.

"How sweet." Hadriana giggled. "I suppose I can comply... If you beg."

"Oh you can just go screw yourself." Fenris shot back irritably.

Again, Hadriana only seemed to find amusement in his words. "No need, I have your lover for that now." she responded. "And if you want him one last time, you'll have to ask for him properly. Like the lowlife slave that you are."

Fury burned in Fenris's chest and his throat grew tight as if in protest to him speaking in such a manner. He glared at Hadriana, about to deliver an angry retort, when she cut him off.

"Careful what you say." she warned. "If I don't like it, there will be consequences..."

When her eyes shifted to the side and Fenris realized it was a subtle threat toward Anders, his fury was washed away by a wave of helplessness and he sagged with his head down. He exhaled a quiet sigh and closed his eyes.

"Please..."

"Ah, ah." Hadriana interrupted. "Not like that. On your knees, and look at me." she ordered.

Fenris angrily bit back the harsh words that nearly leapt out of his mouth and hissed through his teeth. Struggling with himself, he slowly and hesitantly got to his knees and raised his eyes to meet Hadriana's.

"Please...let me...have him..." he said in a strained, halting voice.

"Mistress Hadriana." she added with an arrogant grin.

"You miserable..." Fenris ground his teeth to stop himself and felt his throat tighten even more as he forced the words out of his mouth. "Please, let me...have him... M...Mistress Hadriana..."

Hadriana's wicked laugh was more painful to his ears than her disgusting moans. Fenris's face felt as though it could fry an egg at that point, it was so hot from embarrassment. He watched through narrowed eyes as Hadriana moved behind Anders and crouched down, putting her arms around him and bringing her lips to his ear.

"Your old lover wants some satisfaction, pet. Go ahead and give it to him." she murmured with a sultry tone.

Fenris slowly sat back again while Hadriana released Anders and gave him a nudge in the elf's direction. He crawled forward and Fenris's heart sank with sorrow as Anders neared him then reached out to find him, unable to see with the blindfold. The mage was literally blindly following commands, and the sight was saddening. Once Anders's hand found Fenris's chest, the mage reached up to take hold of the elf's face with both hands and leaned forward while pulling Fenris to him. Their lips closed on each other and the two began kissing, slowly at first, then their heated passion took over and tongues met while the kiss grew more eager. Even though Hadriana's taste was on the mage's lips and tongue, Fenris ignored it and focused only on the familiar feeling of his lover's warm kiss.

As they were making out, Anders moved forward to straddle Fenris's legs and undid the elf's pants to remove his painfully throbbing erection. Just the feel of Anders's hand holding his swollen manhood after so long made Fenris feel like he might blow already. Anders began stroking Fenris's hot dick and a groan slipped out from between the elf's lips as a shudder shook his body. Desperate for more pleasure, Fenris pushed his hips up and thrust slowly and repeatedly into Anders's hand. Anders released Fenris's erection for a moment to press his own still hard manhood to the elf's then closed his hand around both and began jerking them off quickly. Both men rubbed and pressed their erections together while Anders's hand vigorously pumped them and drew out sharp pants and light moans that soon made it impossible for them to continue kissing. The heat of Anders's throbbing dick against his and the friction and stimulation from his hand drove away Fenris's senses and left his mind numb from pleasure. All the elf could focus on now was the sweet sensation of intimacy with his partner.

Anders began lightly kissing and sucking Fenris's long neck, his hot lips causing the elf's skin to tingle at their touch and make him shiver with excitement. The shiver ran down his spine and into his groin, making it throb harder with arousal and more desperate for a release. Anders suddenly thrust his erection hard against Fenris's creating a jolt of pleasure that made that made the elf gasp and arch his back with a moan. The lips and tongue that played along his neck made their way up to his sensitive ear where just the feel of the mage's warm breath and hot tongue sliding up the front rim to the pointed tip caused more ripples of pleasurable tingling. Each touch and feeling fueled Fenris's sexual desire after being without for so long and it became more and more difficult to contain himself. Anders's moans in his ear filled Fenris with unbearable excitement that drove him closer to his limit with each rough stroke of the mage's hand. Fenris could feel the climax he was desperate for slowly growing closer the more Anders jerked and tugged on their dicks and his body grew tight with the anticipation. Finally, the building pressure in his groin reached its peak and Fenris was gripped with pleasure that drew out a loud moan he couldn't hold back. His heavy load shot out into the air in thick spurts only to fall back down again and cover their erections as well as Anders's hand. Fenris gasped and panted while his body shuddered with the aftershock of his intense orgasm.

Anders suddenly stopped jerking them off after Fenris's climax and climbed to his feet while gripping his wildly pulsing erection at the base as the elf was still waiting for his senses to return. Without warning, he gripped the hair on top of Fenris's head and pulled it back, making the elf tilt his head while he pushed his dick to Fenris's mouth. The thought of where it had been made Fenris more than a little reluctant to let it in, but an impatient Anders made it clear that he wasn't willing to wait. Fenris cringed as he slowly parted his lips, and Anders immediately slid his erection deep into the elf's mouth and began thrusting hard right away. Still lightheaded and somewhat breathless, Fenris simply shut his eyes and took what breaths he could through his nose as Anders's manhood reached all the way to the back of his throat each time the mage thrust it in. Fortunately, the other man was already on the verge of his own climax from the earlier stimulation and it wasn't long before he gripped Fenris's head and let out a loud moan, filling the elf's mouth with his thick load. It spilled down Fenris's throat in a hot, salty stream as he gulped it down quickly.

Anders slowly slid his erection back out and Fenris took deep, heavy breaths, regaining his senses with each intake of air. He lifted his head and looked up at Anders, his desperation returning at the thought that their time was running out.

"Anders, listen to me." he said in a quiet voice. "You have to-"

"None of that." Hadriana suddenly said, and grabbed Anders's arm to pull him away.

Fenris snarled as she drew Anders back a few steps, hanging on to his arm as though he were hers. Hadriana took hold of his cheek and turned his face to her.

"You obey only me now, pet." she said in a sweet voice, then turned on Fenris, her eyes narrowing as a smile crept across her face. "As for you... I gave you your last moment with your lover. Now it's time for you to serve your purpose."

Fenris became filled with apprehension as he glared at her. "What do you mean 'purpose'?"

Hadriana didn't answer, but simply reached over to Anders's pants pocket where she had placed the dagger and took it out again. She then turned back to Fenris and stepped forward, a wicked grin spreading on her lips.

"I'm not going to just kill you quickly." she said, gripping the handle with one hand while resting the blade in the palm of the other. "I'm going to make sure you suffer and die slowly, but I want you to live just long enough to watch me hand over your lover's child to a desire demon... Who will raise it to become her host."

Crippling panic and fear he hadn't felt since he nearly died gripped Fenris like a vice and his eyes grew wide. "You...you can't!" he shouted, bolting up to his knees and straining against his shackles.

"Of course I can." Hadriana replied with a chuckle. "And you're going to help. Or rather, your blood is..."

Fenris swallowed hard and fell silent, knowing he wasn't going to like what came next.

Hadriana tapped the blade of the dagger gently in her palm. "Normally, the time between conception and birth is a bit...lengthy, and I have no interest in wasting my time with the process. However..." She grinned wickedly at Fenris. "A little ritual to advance the development all the way to the final stage will solve that problem. Such a ritual comes with a heavy price, though. A price _you_ are going to pay..."

Every bit of that plan sounded unimaginably horrible. Fenris's body was trembling now, though he wasn't sure if it was from fear or rage. "You really are mad..." he said as his voice quivered. "No, you're downright insane!"

Hadriana frowned angrily and snorted. "Hmph, no one asked you, elf." she said coldly, then thrust out her foot to kick Fenris in the chest and knock him back on his ass.

Fenris grunted as his back hit the hard stone wall and he quickly looked up again to see Hadriana looming over him, the dagger gripped tightly in her fist.

"I will bleed you dry and watch you die an agony." she said in a low voice, hatred burning in her eyes.

"I don't think so!" Fenris shouted then kicked out with both feet and slammed them into Hadriana's gut, making her stumble back and collide with Anders. Both of them fell to the ground and Anders's blindfold was knocked loose, causing it to slip down on one side. Hadriana quickly grabbed the fallen dagger she had dropped and sat up.

"I'm going to enjoy slitting your throat, you damned elf!" she yelled, getting to her feet again.

The darkness he had been engulfed in suddenly grew lighter, and Anders slowly opened his heavy eyelids. His blurred vision came to focus on a stone ceiling above him, though it was partially obscured by the blindfold still covering one eye. No thoughts were registering in his mind. His head felt clouded and hazy. The voice that gave him commands was shouting something, but he didn't understand what the words meant. Why couldn't he think?

Anders slowly sat up and the blindfold fell to hang around his neck, completely uncovering his eyes. For a moment he only saw unclear figures before him, one approaching the other then reaching out for them. Anders blinked a couple of times as the fog clouding his mind started to lift and the scene before him became clear.

Hadriana grabbed the hair on top of a shackled Fenris's head and yanked it back, exposing his neck. The firelight illuminating the room caught on the sharp blade of a dagger in Hadriana's hand as she brought it to Fenris's throat, ready to slice it open.

"Die like the worthless dog you are!" she growled.

Clarity cut through the haze like a knife and Anders's eyes grew wide at the sight of Fenris about to have his throat slit, then flashed blue with fury. "NO!" he cried, leaping to his feet.

Just as the blade pressed to his throat, Anders's furious voice rang out and caught both Fenris and Hadriana off guard. Hadriana barely had time to look behind her before a hand covered in glowing blue cracks grabbed the back of her neck and jerked her away forcefully. Seeing his chance to escape, Fenris's lyrium markings flared brightly and he immediately phased his wrists through the shackles holding him.

Anders gripped Hadriana's neck tightly and swung her back with great force, sending her flying to the other side of the room to slam into the opposite wall. A loud smack followed her impact with the wall and she let out a shout of pain and surprise. Before she could recover, Anders was upon her once more, grabbing her by the throat again and pinning her to the wall, his eyes glowing brightly with rage.

The wide-eyed Hadriana grabbed his wrist with both hands, struggling to break free. "Please, don't kill me!" she begged in terror.

Anders took deep breaths as he glared at the frightened woman and the glow faded away, returning him to normal. "Don't worry, I won't." he said breathlessly, then released her and immediately stepped aside to reveal Fenris closing in fast, his glowing fist pulled back and ready to strike.

Hadriana didn't even have time to gasp before Fenris's fist was thrust into her chest without a sound. Until his hand solidified again. There was a loud snapping crunch and Hadriana's jaw dropped, her eyes growing wider as they stared into Fenris's. Blood streamed out around the elf's wrist buried within her torn flesh.

Fenris glared at Hadriana with cold, hard eyes. "To the Void with you, you heartless bitch." he whispered harshly.

Hadriana's chest burst open as Fenris violently ripped his hand back out, his bloody fist gripping her bleeding heart. Hadriana made a wet gurgling sound that may have been a gasp as she watched in horror as Fenris closed his fist tightly on the still beating organ and crushed it with all his might. With no sign of emotion on his face, Fenris opened his fingers and let the maimed heart slip from his grasp to land on the stone floor with a wet splat.

It all happened in a matter of seconds. Soon after Fenris ripped out Hadriana's heart then crushed it right in front of her, the life vanished from her eyes and her lifeless body slowly slumped down the wall then fell over to collapse on the ground, never to rise again. Fenris stoically stared down at the corpse of his one time tormentor and took deep, shaky breaths, his bloody hand curling into a tight fist. It was done. Hadriana was finally dead. But something wasn't right. Fenris didn't feel the satisfaction he thought he would. Wasn't this what he desired?

That was when he remembered there was still one other enemy to deal with, and spun around to face Desiree. The desire demon still floated in the corner with legs crossed and arms folded, watching silently with a blank face. She hadn't moved an inch, neither to help Hadriana nor to escape.

"You." he growled menacingly, taking a step toward her. "Now it is your turn to die!"

Fenris and Anders both began to approach the demon, ready to attack.

"Hold." she said calmly.

The demon's aloof attitude in the face of attack took both men by surprise and they quickly halted in their steps to stand frozen in place, uncertain of how to respond.

Desiree lowered her arms and legs, moving into a standing position while remaining floating just above the ground. "Hadriana is dead, and I have no obligation to fight you. There's no need to kill each other." she explained. "Also..." She tilted her head as her eyes lowered and looked between the two men, but not at their faces. "You may want to...adjust your wardrobes before doing any fighting." she stated, a small smile on her lips.

Following the demon's line of sight, Anders and Fenris both looked down to find that they were still 'out', and hurriedly tucked themselves away and fixed their pants in embarrassment.

"W-well, that aside," Anders said, clearing his throat. "Give us one good reason why we shouldn't fight you."

"For starters, no weapons." Desiree said pointedly.

The demon was right. Fenris didn't have his sword, and Anders didn't have his staff. The mage could still use magic, of course, but without a staff to boost his magical ability and skill in combat he may not fare so well against a demon.

"And secondly," Desiree continued. "If I was really your enemy, I wouldn't have allowed you to attack and kill Hadriana."

Neither man had a response to that. It was true that if she had any loyalty to Hadriana she would have intervened, yet she had done nothing to save the woman.

"If you had no loyalty to Hadriana, then why were you serving her?" Anders asked.

Desiree shrugged nonchalantly. "She summoned me, we made a deal. Typical business. It ended when I knew she would be killed."

Fenris narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What do you mean 'knew she would be killed'? How did you know?"

"When you knocked her into Anders and caused the blindfold to come loose, I knew the mind hold would break." Desiree answered.

A sudden realization hit Fenris as he recalled the conversation he had overheard earlier.

_"A small but strong element that can break the hold. I could not suppress that part of his mind, but the rest is enslaved. Do not let him see the other and it will remain so."_

"Because he would see me." Fenris murmured.

Desiree gave the elf a small nod. "Such enslavement would normally pose no trouble at all. Once Hadriana lured him here all it would have taken was a little manipulation. Playing on the person's greatest desire in order to enslave them always works." She paused. "But his greatest desire...was the very thing that would cause the hold to break. A feeling too strong for even my power to overcome."

Fenris felt the heat rising to his face as the meaning of those words sunk into his mind and he quickly looked at Anders, who in turn quickly looked away, but not before Fenris caught sight of how red the mage's face was.

Desiree frowned slightly, as if troubled. "I did not anticipate such a conundrum. Rarely do I encounter desires that are without greed or selfishness. I admit I found it rather...unexpected." She fell silent for a moment, then continued. "It was dealt with, albeit temporarily, and I focused on his second greatest desire to bind him and make him serve his purpose to Hadriana. The desire for-"

"That's enough." Anders suddenly interrupted, a hint of urgency in his voice.

Desiree looked at him and lifted an eyebrow, but said nothing more.

"Do not think you are excused simply because you did not stop us." Fenris said. "There's still the matter of your little 'deal'. You planned on using Hadriana to obtain a child from this world! You were going take Anders's baby and make it a vessel!"

Anders looked at Fenris then Desiree in shock. "What?!"

A small smile appeared on Desiree's face. "Is that what I was going to do?"

Fenris was confused by her response. "Yes! You said you were going to raise the child to become your host!"

"Did I?"

Angered, Fenris was about to respond, but then paused. Now that he thought about it, it had actually been Hadriana who made the claim. The demon hadn't really said anything on the matter.

"But you _did_ plan on obtaining the child, did you not?" Fenris asked.

A slight nod was all he received in response.

"If it wasn't to be your host, then what was it for?" Anders demanded.

Desiree let out a deep sigh and shook her head slowly, as if in disappointment. "You mortals... You have so much, and yet appreciate it so little. You take for granted the things your are blessed with. Love and family being the most under appreciated gifts of all. So tell me, as beings who cannot have what you have, is it so strange that some of us would...desire them?"

That wasn't something either man was expecting.

"So you...wanted a child?" Anders asked in confusion. "Like, a family?"

Desiree slowly folded her arms. "Is that odd?" she asked in a hollow tone.

"Well...yes!" Anders answered, seeming flustered. "You're supposed to be all evil, and greedy, and just...not good!"

Desiree frowned. "Because that's what your Chantry and 'demon experts' say?"

"That, and because you hear bad things involving demons all the time." Fenris responded.

"You mortals cannot fully comprehend the truth of spirits and demons." Desiree replied, then let out another sigh that sounded weary. "Believe what you will, it makes no difference. My time has run out. My summoner is gone and my energy spent. I can remain in this world no longer..."

"Wait!" Fenris stepped forward. "Was it...all a lie? A wife and child, and a sister?"

Already starting to fade, Desiree answered, though her voice was growing faint. "As far as I know, yes. Except for Varania. Hadriana offered her as a host first, but I refused."

Some of the weight that had been plaguing Fenris for months was lifted by those words. Varania was real after all. Hadriana had been telling the truth about him having a sister. Not that it made him feel the least bit guilty for killing her, but at least something good had come from this whole nightmare.

"At least not all of you mortals take things for granted." Desiree murmured, barely visible and audible now. "A shame you are so unfortunate."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Anders asked with a frown.

A wry smile was all he was answered with before the demon vanished completely, leaving the two men alone in silence and unsure of what to think or feel at the moment.

"Can demons be...not that bad?" Anders asked, scratching the back of his head.

Fenris stared at the empty space Desiree had been occupying only moments ago. "No..." he answered. "She was...just buying time, I'm sure. It was probably a trick to keep us distracted from attacking her until she returned to her world. It must have been."

Fenris wasn't entirely sure what to think, and at that moment he didn't care. All that mattered was Hadriana was dead and the demon gone, and they were both alive. Fenris strode over to Anders quickly and took the mage into his arms, embracing him tightly. Anders seemed to hesitate a moment before putting his arms around Fenris's waist and resting his head against the elf's.

"This should not have happened." Fenris murmured. "If I had not let her live the first time, then..." He sighed heavily and shook his head. "This should never have happened..."

Fenris felt Anders grow tense in his arms, though the mage didn't respond. When he took hold of Anders's cheek with his unbloodied hand and moved to bring their lips together, the other man wouldn't meet his gaze and suddenly pulled away before they could kiss.

"I...just want to get out of here." he said quietly, taking a step back.

It suddenly seemed like Anders couldn't even look at him. There was a feeling of cold anxiety in the pit of Fenris's stomach at the mage's behavior. He tried to suppress it and nodded solemnly. "Right. The sooner we get out of here, the better."

Fenris turned and started to cross the room to head for the exit when he realized Anders wasn't following. He stopped and looked back at him. "What's wrong?"

"Uh...where are the rest of my clothes?"

Fenris had actually forgotten the mage was naked from the waist up and had already been that way when he first came in. The two men glanced about the room but saw no sign of his clothes. Anders sighed in exasperation.

"Come on, let's look around." he muttered wearily.

Fenris followed as Anders walked toward the door leading to the previous room, passing Hadriana's corpse without so much as a glance to acknowledge it. The two of them had already been struggling with their relationship before this, but thanks to that bitch, Fenris had a feeling they now faced an even greater hurdle than before. And he wasn't sure either one of them had the courage to brave the jump that would reunite them.

* * *

The next week and a half was worse than before. Fenris and Anders saw little of each other, and they both seemed unable to even talk about what happened. Neither of them could bring themselves to make the first move, leading to a sense of awkwardness whenever they were around each other. Anders took to staying at the clinic more frequently, even spending nights there, and dropped by the mansion mostly just to bathe. Neither man wanted things to be this way, but neither of them were very good at handling complicated situations like this. At least one of them had someone to turn to for help, though.

Fenris stood before the back door of a medium sized building in Lowtown, struggling with the decision of whether or not to knock. He fidgeted uncomfortably in his moment of hesitation, then sighed deeply and knocked twice.

A brief moment later, the door opened and Fenris was greeted by the flour dusted face of a lovely red headed young woman. The red orange locks were pulled back into a loose bun at the back of her head while a few tendrils hung loose on either side of her face and contained flecks of white flour and batter. The dark green dress with rolled up sleeves she wore beneath a stained apron hadn't escaped the mess either.

"Oh, Fenris! It's good to see you!" Anna said happily, her face lighting up with a smile as she wiped her hands that were covered with batter on her apron.

Fenris gave her a small smile and nodded. "Hello, Anna. Sorry to just drop by so suddenly."

"It's no problem." she responded, and stepped aside while opening the door wider. "Come on in, hon. I was just working on my latest creation."

Fenris stepped inside and was immediately hit with the strong, mouth watering scent of fresh baked goods. Something like vanilla and other sweet smells he couldn't quite place made his nose tingle as he followed Anna into the kitchen area.

"Are you busy?" he asked, spotting something that looked like three stacked cakes sitting on the counter amongst a mess of flour, mixing bowls, and other utensils. The bottom cake was largest, while the second one on top of it was somewhat smaller, and the third on top of that one the smallest.

"Just practicing, but some company would be nice. Gerick is working and won't be home for a while." she answered, picking up a long flat knife lying next to a bowl of white frosting.

"Is that something new?" Fenris asked while taking a seat at the table, sitting sideways in the chair to face her. "I've never seen you make a stacked cake before."

Anna had started gathering some of the white frosting on the knife then looked over at Fenris. "Stacked...? It's a three tier cake, silly!" she answered with a giggle. "It's for the wedding."

Fenris raised an eyebrow. "You're making your _own_ wedding cake?"

"Of course." Anna stated bluntly, starting to spread the frosting on the bottom cake. "It has to be just right. You don't think I'd trust some hack baker with such an important task, do you? This is just a sample, though. I'm working on the decoration design. It's got to be perfect."

Fenris chuckled. "Somehow I am not surprised you are both the bride and cake maker of your own wedding."

Anna smiled with a shrug of her shoulders. "By the way," she began while continuing to concentrate on the cake. "You two will be coming to the wedding, right?"

Fenris rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably and shifted in his chair. "Uh, that's... Such an event isn't really our scene..."

Anna turned around, one hand planting firmly on her hip while the other shook the frosting knife at him. "If I don't see you and Anders at my wedding I will march straight to Hightown and drag your behinds all the way here by your ears!" she said sternly.

Fenris found it difficult to doubt her. He could just imagine Anna, wedding dress and all, dragging him and Anders through Hightown by their ears like a couple of children while everyone stared. The image brought an amused smile to his face, but it didn't stay.

"Actually..." he frowned and glanced aside. "There has been some trouble between us for the last month or so, and it's gotten a lot worse..."

There was a look of concern on Anna's face as she quickly set the frosting knife on the counter and moved over to the table to take a seat in the next chair from Fenris's side. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" she asked worriedly.

Where to even start? Fenris hadn't thought about it, really. There was a lot he couldn't, or shouldn't, tell her, so he tried to outline the basic situation while keeping some details to himself.

"About a month ago, the two of us and two other companions went into the Deep Roads in the Vinmark Mountains to...solve a problem for our friend. Things did not go well. There was a lot of fighting, a lot of death, and some...troubling discoveries." He hesitated a moment. "And I was nearly killed."

Anna gasped in shock, almost getting out of her chair. "What?! Are you alright?"

Fenris held up a hand to stop her. "I am fine." he assured her, setting his hand back down on the table after she settled again. "Anders healed me at the time. It was just...a very close call. One that Anders blamed solely on himself."

Anna shook her head in confusion. "Anders blamed himself? Why would he do a thing like that? It's not like he was the one that tried to kill you, right?"

Fenris cleared his throat and continued telling the tale without responding to her statement. "Well, by the time we escaped that place and came back to Kirkwall, Anders had changed. He'd grown more withdrawn and depressed. I think what went on there, the things we saw and discovered, really disturbed him. In a sense he faced a dark revelation about himself and his future. It caused him great distress." Fenris sighed sadly, closing his eyes. "And I could do nothing for him."

"Couldn't you just talk to him?" Anna asked. "Surely there must have been some way to help him."

Fenris shook his head slowly and opened his eyes again. "Because of...how I almost died, I was part of the problem. And I still am, I think."

Anna furrowed her brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

With a heavy sigh, Fenris stood and began slowly pacing aimlessly, trying to collect his thoughts. He stared at the rough wood floor as he moved about and spoke to Anna without looking at her. "You remember I was...a slave, correct?"

Anna nodded slowly. "Yes..."

"Well, I escaped, but am not exactly free." Fenris's heart began pounding uncomfortably hard in his chest as he struggled to speak about the past he wished to forget. "My 'master' wishes me back, and has sent many hunters to recapture me. A few months ago he sent his own pupil after me. A wretched woman named Hadriana who tormented me while I still served Danarius. She committed unspeakable acts in order to gain the power to face me, but it hadn't been enough. I still managed to defeat her, however I...did not kill her... I gave her a fate worse than death."

"Oh, Fenris, what did you do?" Anna asked quietly.

There was a twinge of regret and self-loathing as Fenris recalled the moment where he made the grave mistake that allowed the whole nightmare to happen. Hadriana lying on the ground, unconscious but alive, and mostly unharmed. He had the chance to let her go, just as he had promised her. If he had just let her go, would it have come back to haunt him like it had? Or should he have just killed her and spared her the life that drove her to seek revenge on him? It didn't matter now.

Fenris stopped pacing and looked up at the window facing the alley behind Anna's home and business, but saw only his own reflection in the glass and had to look away in disgust at himself.

"I did not kill Hadriana, but I did not let her go unscathed..." he said, then turned back to Anna with a pained look. "I made her pay for all the anguish she caused me by taking her arm and making Anders heal her so she would live. Being a mage, her power was reduced significantly by the loss of her arm. She returned to Tevinter disgraced by her failure and defeat at the hands of an ex slave. Hadriana was humiliated, the title of Magister she worked so hard to obtain was lost, and her life was ruined. It was...exactly what I wanted for her."

The look of shock then sad disappointment on Anna's face made Fenris lower his eyes in shame before speaking again. "And then...she came back for revenge."

This time Anna did jump out of her chair, her jade eyes wide with panic. "W-what? When? What happened? Did she hurt you guys?"

"One question at a time, Anna." Fenris said, then sighed softly. "It was around a week ago, and we are...physically alright. Mentally, though, the damage is done. I think Anders suffered the worst of it. He has been...mostly avoiding me of late."

Anna stepped forward with a look of worry on her face. "What happened, Fenris?" she asked gently, as if coaxing a child.

Fenris looked away, already feeling the shame and embarrassment of having to retell the event. He moved over to the counter and leaned against it while folding his arms. "I did not know Hadriana had returned. I did not even expect it. She tricked me and lured me into a trap with the intention to kill me, but not before...making me suffer first."

There was a look of anger on Anna's face. "Did that woman hurt you?" she asked in a rather frightening tone.

Fenris shook his head, his face solemn. "No, not exactly. Hadriana knew about Anders, about our relationship, and kidnapped him to use him against me. She forced me to watch, but she didn't use...pain."

There was a blank look on Anna's face while she processed his words. "Oh." Then the full realization hit her. "Ohh... Oh dear." The rising red in her cheeks stood out greatly against her pale skin and the white flour smeared about on her face.

"I managed to get out of my restraints and save us, but not before Hadriana...used him." Fenris felt the scowl forming on his face. "She planned on impregnating herself with Anders's child, then giving it to a demon as payment in exchange for its help in capturing us."

"That... That's horrible!" Anna exclaimed, then shook her head sadly. "You poor things..."

Fenris flinched slightly but did not reprimand Anna for her pitying. After all, it had been a pretty pitiful situation, in his opinion. A situation he was the cause of.

"It is my fault this happened." Fenris said, his chest aching painfully. "Anders must have realized it as well. I think...he blames me...and that's why he can't even look at me or see me anymore. If I had just let Hadriana go unharmed, or if I had just killed her the first time, she never would have sought us out for revenge." Fenris put a hand over his face, feeling his eyes starting to sting. "He is right to despise me..."

"No, that can't be it!"

Anna's voice startled Fenris and he quickly lowered his hand to see her moving up to him before throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. When he heard her sniffle and realized she was crying, he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. This was supposed to be a happy time for Anna and Gerick, and here he was making her cry over his problems. Maybe coming here had been a bad idea. It wouldn't be his first one.

Fenris put his hands on her shoulders with a sigh. "Anna, I'm sor-"

"I don't believe it." Anna said, cutting Fenris off. She pulled back to look up at him, her eyes wet with tears. "I don't believe Anders despises you. I won't believe it. I've seen you two together, I can see what you mean to each other. You two think you're subtle, but you can't hide things like that from a woman. Especially a romantic." She gave him a look of stubborn determination. "I know I haven't known you both very long, but I... I just know what I'm talking about, ok?" she insisted.

A smile tugged at the corner of Fenris's lips. It was difficult to argue with her when she seemed so sure of herself. And he really wanted to believe her words. As difficult as this bittersweet relationship was, Fenris couldn't bring himself to simply give up and walk away. This wasn't like him at all. The mage really had changed him.

"But what am I to do?" Fenris asked wearily. "How am I supposed to make things better when I don't even know what's really wrong?"

"Talk to him, hon." Anna responded, giving him a smile. "Quit being so stubborn and make the first move."

Fenris frowned. "I'm not stubborn, I just don't like doing things I am uncomfortable with."

Anna took a step back and put both hands on her hips, giving him a reproachful glare, and Fenris heaved a heavy sigh of resignation. "Very well. I will talk to Anders next time he is home."

While her hands remained on her hips, Anna's glare turned into a happy smile that brought some comfort to Fenris.

"You're lucky, you know." she suddenly said.

Fenris's brow furrowed. "Why do you say that?"

Anna looked down at her hands and fiddled with the engagement ring on her finger. "Because you and Anders have something really special. Precious, even."

That was unexpected. Fenris shook his head in confusion. "How is it different from what you and Gerick have? Aside from the fact that your relationship is more socially accepted. And you are both of the same race. And neither of you are on the run nor in hiding."

"That's just it." Anna replied, looking back up at him. "Everything is against you, and yet you both hold on. Maybe you two won't be together forever, maybe something will tear you apart one day. That's why your relationship is so special, and that's why you have to cherish it."

Fenris couldn't help a bitter chuckle and closed his eyes with a half smile. "It's scary how perceptive you are sometimes."

Anna looked at him puzzled. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head and looked at her with a warm smile, though his eyes were sad. "It's nothing. You are right, actually. Thank you, Anna, I knew I could rely on you. You always seem to know just what I need, and I am grateful."

There was a look of relieved happiness on Anna's face. "I'm so glad you feel that way." she said, then smiled slyly. "Because I could use some help too."

Fenris blinked. "What?"

"Well, this is an awfully big cake to frost all by myself." Anna stated with a grin. "And since you're here..."

Fenris looked at her in surprise then let out a laugh. "Very well. I suppose I do owe you, after all." he said, detaching his gauntlets and setting them aside.

Even if it was only a little, Fenris felt like some of the weight he'd been buried under of late had lifted. There was only one way to remove it all, or possibly double it, and he was hesitant to make the move. But they were both standing at the precipice, and one of them had to make the leap. Whether he missed or reached the other side, there was only one way to find out.

* * *

It wasn't working. No matter how much he bathed it never seemed like enough. Even if he soaked until the water turned cold and his skin became wrinkled, Anders never felt truly clean. That day in the slaver den seemed like some sort of feverish dream, but it had been real, and even now the memory lingered. The things he'd been made to do under the control of that demon made him feel dirty no matter how he tried to wash the filth away. Fenris was right, it shouldn't have happened. What they went through should never have come to pass, and Anders knew exactly who was to blame for it.

Taking in a quiet breath, Anders let himself slowly sink beneath the water until he was submerged. His loose hair floated around his face and brushed against his skin like soft fingers. A lock of hair passed over his lips like the ghost of a kiss, and his heart ached from the feeling of loneliness it brought. It didn't matter how many people he interacted with during the day, how many conversations he had, or how many patients or acquaintances he saw, only one person could alleviate his sorrow. But Anders couldn't even bring himself to face that person.

Suddenly, the water became more active and something bumped against his leg, startling him. Anders quickly pushed up and broke the surface with a soft gasp for air and opened his eyes to see Fenris climbing in to the tub on the other end. Unsure of what to do, Anders sat up higher and pulled his legs in, letting the elf squeeze in on the other side facing him, though neither of them looked at each other. After Fenris settled in, the two men sat on opposite ends of the tub avoiding each other's gazes for several long moments of silence. Their legs touched when Fenris stretched his out, and Anders's skin prickled at the familiar warmth on his cool flesh.

"It's cold." Fenris said, his head tilted back to look up at the ceiling.

"Yeah." Anders replied quietly.

Several more moments of awkward silence followed. Finally, Fenris tilted his head down again and looked at Anders across from him. He lifted one of the arms he had resting on the rim of the tub and extended his hand to the mage. Anders looked at Fenris's hand then to him and their gazes held. It felt like forever before the mage finally took his hand and Fenris pulled him forward. Not offering any resistance, Anders moved up and turned around while crossing the tub to sit in front of Fenris between his legs and leaned back against him. Fenris wrapped his arms around Anders from behind and held him close, closing his eyes and tilting his head to rest it against the mage's while Anders laid his back on Fenris's shoulder.

Fenris embraced Anders tightly, not wanting to let him go now that he finally had him in his arms again. He wouldn't back out or avoid the situation anymore. Their time together as lovers grew shorter with each passing day, and Fenris didn't want to spend it watching Anders grow farther and farther away from him anymore. It was time to close the distance once and for all. Or until the next time something went terribly wrong.

"I'm...sorry..."

Fenris's eyes snapped open in surprise. He hadn't been the one who spoke.

"I'm so sorry..." Anders repeated softly.

Fenris looked at the mage, bewildered. "What? Why are _you_ apologizing?"

Anders turned his head to look at Fenris. "Because what happened was my fault."

Fenris was stunned into silence for a few seconds. "...are we thinking about the same incident? Because I think you are confused about some details, mage..."

Anders frowned in agitation. "Hadriana came back because of me, you idiot!"

While Anders's irritated name calling was a familiar comfort, it did nothing to help Fenris's confusion. "Hadriana returned for revenge because I let her live. I chose not to kill her, or simply let her go unharmed. That was...my mistake."

"Don't you remember why?" Anders asked in a low voice, looking guilty.

Fenris paused to think on the mage's words, once again thinking back to the day he would rather forget. To the moment he made his grave mistake. His eyes slowly grew wide when he realized what Anders was referring to.

_"Stop."_

_"What do you think you're doing, mage?"_

_"There are worse things in life than death..."_

Now Fenris understood. "You gave me the idea..." he said, though there was no accusation in his words.

Anders nodded slowly in shame, glancing down. "I...wanted her to suffer. Not just because it's mages like her that give the rest of us a bad reputation, but because of what she did to you. She put you through so much, filled you with hate and anger. I couldn't stand the thought of her just getting away. But if I hadn't said anything, then..."

"I am equally to blame." Fenris said with a small sigh. "I could have chosen not to let my emotions be swayed, but I didn't. I won't place all the responsibility on you." He took hold of Anders's cheek and turned the mage's face to him. "I will not lose control of myself and my anger as I did back then. I won't let us be torn apart again and again. Even if it's going to be painful at times, I just want us to last as long as possible..."

Anders's eyes began to tremble and grew wet as he stared at Fenris without responding. That they shared the same wish made his heart feel as though it was swelling to the point of bursting with joy and relief. Fenris leaned closer and Anders tilted his head, their lips about to meet, when a flashing memory of a kiss that wasn't from Fenris caused Anders to jerk his head back and cover his mouth with the back of his hand.

Fenris was already in mid pucker when the mage pulled away and looked at him startled. "What? What's wrong?"

Anders's face turned red as he lowered his hand. "I-I just... I don't..." He faltered in his words, unsure of what to say.

Suddenly feeling uneasy under Fenris's close gaze, Anders quickly stood and stepped out of the tub, the water splashing about in his wake. He grabbed a towel and began drying himself off, keeping his back to the startled elf. The sound of Fenris getting out of the tub behind him made Anders feel anxious, and when the elf took hold of his arm the anxiety grew.

"Talk to me."

Anders had to take a breath to calm himself, but still didn't look at Fenris as he spoke. "Ever since...her, I feel...unclean. The thought of you watching while I...did that..." He closed his eyes and hung his head. "I didn't know how to face you after that. How can you even look at me the same way?"

Fenris pulled Anders's arm making him turn around to face him and caressed the mage's cheek with his other hand so he couldn't look away. "I see you exactly as I did before, you idiot." he said with a playful smile. "And if you feel so dirty..." He let go of Anders's arm and wrapped his around the mage's waist, pulling the other man's body against his own. "I'll cleanse you myself..." he said suggestively, then kissed Anders without giving the mage a chance to refuse.

This time, Anders didn't pull away. He let the tension melt away in the warmth of his lover's embrace. He could hold back no longer and returned the elf's kiss earnestly, giving in to his yearning to feel him once more.

After a few seconds, the men separated from their kiss taking soft breaths and Anders smiled. "It's warmer in the bedroom."

Fenris grinned. "You read my mind..."

It took only seconds for the two men to make it upstairs and into the bed where their chilled, damp skin was quickly warmed by the fire and the heat of their hard bodies pressed against each other as they made out passionately, growing hotter and more aroused by the second. Fenris laid on top of Anders and pushed his hips into the mage's, feeling the other man's excitement and desire while making his own known. Their breaths clashed with heavy panting while their mouths opened and their tongues circled and swirled together. They finally had to stop after a while in order to catch their breaths before they suffocated.

Anders ran his fingers through Fenris's fine hair down to his cheek and touched his forehead to the elf's. "I missed you." he said softly, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry I put you through so much misery. You're too dear to me for me to cause you such pain."

Once again Fenris's face started growing hot with embarrassment. He still wasn't completely used to being open with emotions. At least not while he wasn't caught up in a moment of passion. Still, he lightly nuzzled the mage with a small smile.

"I missed you too..." he replied.

Anders opened his eyes and looked into those beautiful light green irises, smiling while gently brushing his thumb across the elf's cheek.

"I especially miss banging your ass." Fenris added with a mischievous grin.

Anders's face fell and he let his head and hand drop back on the bed with a sigh of exasperation. "You really can't help yourself, can you?" he grumbled.

"You love it." Fenris responded teasingly. "After all, I'm your greatest desire, right?"

This time it was Anders's face that turned bright red before he frowned in embarrassment. "D-don't get smug, it's not like I have a lot of options or anything!" he blurted out, trying to mask embarrassment with anger.

Fenris only smiled with a chuckle and leaned close to Anders's ear. "I'll fulfill all your desires... Heart, body, and soul..." he whispered.

A shiver ran down Anders's spine and he swallowed hard. The elf's smooth voice, hot breath on his ear, and the light kiss he gave it after speaking made the mage's groin throb with hot arousal. Fenris gently kissed Anders's lips while running his fingers through the mage's still wet hair and raised his hips to reach between them with his free hand and fondle Anders's hard manhood. The elf closed his long fingers around the shaft and stroked up and down the length with a firm grip. Anders's own hands wandered to Fenris's thighs and slid slowly up to the elf's ass then took hold of it with both hands. When Fenris gave Anders's swollen erection a squeeze he gasped softly and arched his back.

"Ah... Don't tease..."

A deep voiced chuckle was his only reply, followed by a kiss just below his jaw, then another further down his neck. Fenris's hand made swift, hard strokes while his soft lips left a trail of warm, moist kisses down his neck and chest to an erect nipple. Fenris's tongue circled the stiff flesh before he closed his lips on it and sucked gently while his hand began tugging and jerking Anders's hard throbbing dick with greater speed. The friction and heat from the elf's grip made Anders shudder with a groan. A soft nip on his nipple caused the mage to let out another gasp and his erection throbbed in Fenris's hand.

Fenris released the mage's erection and nipple then sat back on his heels between the other man's legs to take a good look at his sexy, aroused lover. He took hold of Anders's thighs beneath the knees and pushed his legs open wider, better exposing the fully erect manhood and tight, pink anus he hadn't seen in weeks. He held Anders's legs open and moved in to run his tongue over the twitching asshole then teased it with the tip, circling the rim a couple of times before dragging his tongue up over the mage's scrotum, then slowly along the underside of his erection from base to head. Fenris could feel Anders's thighs quivering in his hands and hear his erotic sounds of pleasure while he licked each sensitive area carefully. The elf's tongue and lips made their way all over the shaft's bottom and sides before a tortured groan made him stop.

"H-hurry... I can't wait anymore..." Anders begged.

Licking his lips with a grin, Fenris released one of Anders's thighs to take hold of the other man's dick at the base. "As you wish..." he replied coolly.

Fenris lightly kissed the head before wrapping his lips around it and rubbed his tongue over the tip to taste the semen already starting to leak out. As he gradually took the mage's erection deep into his mouth, the sound of Anders's sensual moan had Fenris's own erection pulsing with arousal. Still gripping the base of the mage's erection, Fenris began moving his head up and down in a steady rhythm while his other hand made its way to his own swollen manhood and took hold of it tightly. While moving his head up and down the length of Anders's throbbing dick at a quicker pace, Fenris roughly worked his hand back and forth along the hard, hot shaft in his hand. A muffled groan hummed in his throat as he jerked himself off, taking deep, heavy breaths through his nose as he started deep throating Anders harder. The mage's fingers were soon being embedded in Fenris's hair and he sensed Anders's body shudder from the ecstasy he brought. The more he sucked off Anders while stroking his own erection the easier it became to do both, and soon Fenris fell into a rhythm with both his hand and head in an eager endeavor to bring them both the satisfaction they desired.

Anders's dick felt like it was on the verge of blowing, but he struggled to hold back from coming so soon. The sweet sensation of Fenris's hot, wet mouth swallowing him whole had him gasping and moaning with pleasure that he didn't want to end yet. The head of his erection reached the back of Fenris's throat with each thrust of the other man's head and his voice vibrated around Anders's manhood when the elf groaned in pleasure. Soon the rising pressure in his groin was growing too much to bear anymore and Anders grabbed Fenris's hair tightly, his voice growing louder by the second until a loud cry came out with the arrival of his orgasm.

"Ahh! Fenris!"

A thick load of semen filled Fenris's mouth and he gulped it down breathlessly while still jerking himself off, feeling he wasn't far behind the mage. He went down all the way on Anders's dick then slowly pulled back up, sucking the twitching shaft clean. The mage's sweet voice moaning and calling his name had heightened Fenris's excitement and had him getting closer to his limit. He leaned forward on one hand over Anders stroking his dick vigorously, though his arm was growing weary and starting to slow. Anders's hand suddenly took hold of Fenris's erection while the other grabbed him behind the head and pulled him down into a deep kiss. Anders started assisting Fenris while they made out breathlessly, the elf's moans going from muffled to clear as their lips met then parted again in their passionate kiss. Finally unable to hold back anymore, Fenris moaned loudly and his body shuddered with the release of his hot load as it shot out onto Anders's lower abdomen and groin.

Gasping for breath, Fenris trembled lightly from the strong waves of pleasure as his erection dripped with the last of his load. Anders slowly slid his hand up the shaft and rubbed his thumb over the head, gathering up some of the remaining fluid. Fenris watched as the other man brought his thumb to his lips and flicked the sticky white fluid with his tongue, keeping eye contact with the elf.

"Hope you're not done yet, elf..." he said with a sexy grin.

The mage always knew just how to make Fenris want him. Not that it actually took much. He flashed a grin of his own while moving up to straddle Anders's hips. "Definitely not."

Instead of positioning himself between the mage's legs to enter him like usual, Fenris got on his knees over the other man's groin and took hold of the wet erection while pressing the head to his anus.

Anders blinked and lifted his head. "What are you doing?"

Fenris paused while the tip was nestled in the entrance of his asshole. "Building a Chantry. What does it look like I'm doing?" he responded sarcastically.

"I mean you're always the one giving it, you ass!" Anders shot back.

Fenris snorted. "I told you, I'm 'cleansing' you myself." he stated bluntly. He then looked at Anders with a serious face. "You're mine, and no one will make your dick feel good but me."

Anders nearly laughed. It was kind of childish, but the elf's possessiveness and jealousy was almost cute sometimes. Sometimes. He took hold of Fenris's slender waist and smiled seductively. "Cleanse away, then."

Fenris pushed the head all the way into his anus then slowly began lowering himself on the hard, hot erection. It was wet with his saliva and semen, and slid easily into his tight ass until the whole thing was inside. It'd been some time since he last took it in the ass, and he settled on Anders's groin while his insides adjusted. Fenris could feel the mage's hands tensing on his waist and knew the other man was struggling to restrain himself. He moved his hips around slowly, making Anders's dick rub around inside of him, and the mage clenched his teeth with a groan, his hands gripping more tightly. Fenris grinned playfully and rocked his hips back and forth, watching Anders squirm and his face twist with frustration.

"Quit teasing." the mage growled in a strained voice.

"It's too fun." Fenris replied.

As he started gyrating his hips, he felt Anders's dick rub against his prostate and felt the pleasure in his ass starting to grow. Fenris groaned lightly, feeling the heat rising in his face as he began rocking and moving his hips more, making the mage's hot manhood stir up his insides and send ripples of pleasure spreading through his groin and ass. His hips seemed to move on their own while his ass became more adjusted to the twitching, throbbing erection filling him up. Fenris's voice came out more erotically the more he moved and he became lightheaded and lost in the growing sensation. A sudden upward thrust from the mage made Fenris gasp at the jolt of pleasure it created and his erection throbbed with arousal.

"No more, I can't take it..." Anders groaned.

To Anders's relief, the elf opened his eyes to look down at him with a beautifully aroused face and gave him a nod before placing his hands on his stomach and leaning over him. Fenris began slowly raising and lowering his hips while letting out soft groans and pants, his tight ass swallowing Anders's dick whole with each downward thrust. The elf's hot, soft insides gripped the mage's erection tightly and the suction pulled it in deep each time the other man moved. Anders moaned and licked his lips while watching Fenris's face as the elf started riding him harder, his flushed cheeks and sexy expressions arousing him even more. Anders pushed himself up on one hand and took hold of Fenris's cheek with the other, moving in closer.

"You're so sexy..." he murmured before bringing their lips together in a loving kiss.

Fenris gripped Anders's shoulders as he returned the kiss without stopping his movements. Each time he went down on the mage's dick he let out a muffled moan and shivered with pleasure while his own manhood twitched and pulsed with his intensifying arousal. Fenris wrapped his arms around Anders's neck moaning and panting heavily in the kiss while holding the other man tightly. Anders suddenly grabbed Fenris's ass and dropped back to lie on his back again while pulling the elf down with him then began thrusting his hips upwards to drive his dick deeper and harder into Fenris. Fenris gasped with a loud moan as the head of Anders's dick hit his prostate repeatedly and sent tremors of pleasure through his body. The force of Anders's thrusts rocked his body and his own erection was rubbed and pressed between them, the heat and friction from their hard bodies making it throb wildly with excitement.

Anders planted his feet and began thrusting into Fenris's asshole with greater force while groping and fondling the elf's trembling ass. Fenris gasped and cried out with each thrust of Anders's hips and his hot, tight inner muscles squeezed and twitched each time the mage's dick hit his prostate. Still clinging tightly to Anders, Fenris pressed his face into the crook of the mage's neck while his uncontrolled moans rang in Anders's ear creating shivers of excitement that made him shudder with heightened arousal. The intense pleasure and sound of Fenris's sexy voice was already pushing Anders closer to his limit and making it difficult for him to hold out much longer. He squirmed and writhed while trying to suppress the rising orgasm, but a burst of pleasure overcame him and he cried out as his hard throbbing dick unleashed its load inside of Fenris's ass.

Hot, thick semen filled Fenris's insides and the mage's dick twitched while releasing the last of it before the other man dropped his hips from exhaustion, leaving Fenris unfinished. He pushed up on his hands and glared down at Anders.

"Y-you bastard! How dare you leave me hanging!" he yelled angrily.

Still breathless and exhausted, Anders opened his eyes to look up at Fenris. "I-inside..." he pleaded. "I want you inside me too..."

The mage's sexy, begging expression made Fenris's anger vanish immediately and replaced it with desire. He lifted himself off Anders and let the wet erection slip out of his dripping asshole, then moved between the other man's legs and positioned the head of his own swollen, pulsing erection for Anders's anus. Fenris slid it in deeply but slowly, feeling the mage's insides clenching at the penetration after weeks of not being used. It was a struggle to not start pounding his hot ass right away, but Fenris moved his hips steadily while leaning forward over Anders. He groaned and gritted his teeth while restraining himself until the mage took hold of his face and made Fenris look at him.

"It's ok, do it harder. Finish inside me."

Fenris didn't have to be told twice. Grasping Anders's waist tightly, he began thrusting hard and fast right away while pressing his body into the mage's and burying himself deep inside of him. Anders let out a gasp and wrapped his arms around Fenris tightly, his nails digging into the elf's back, though Fenris barely noticed them. He moaned and gasped as the soft but tight inner muscles of the mage's ass drew him closer and closer to that moment of pure ecstasy. Finally, Fenris shoved his hips forward with a loud cry in the grip of pleasure as his load filled the mage's ass and squirted out around his dick. Fenris's body quivered from the intense pleasure and exhaustion and he laid on top of Anders panting heavily, his face nuzzled against the side of the other man's head.

Anders held Fenris closely and stroked his fingers through the elf's hair. "I'm sorry for acting the way I have been. I told you I would stay with you, but I let myself drift away instead. But no more." He turned his head to look at Fenris, smiling gently. "I won't let us part anymore. With our futures so uncertain, we have to stay strong together for as long as we can."

Fenris smiled back and lightly brushed some of the mage's hair from his face. "I am glad to hear that..." he said quietly. The sweet smile suddenly turned mischievous. "Because I'm not satisfied yet. In fact, you may as well forget any plans you have tomorrow, because I can't guarantee you'll even be able to get out of bed when I'm through with you."

Anders's face fell flat and his eyes widened with a look of dread. "Oh, Maker."

* * *

**Epilogue**

Later that night, Fenris laid on his back in bed with his hands behind his head looking content. Anders, however, was flat on his stomach with his face buried in the pillow, his hands curled into fists on either side.

"Sorry, guess I got a little carried away." Fenris said while still looking up at the ceiling.

Anders jerked his head up to scowl furiously at the elf. "A little?! My ass and back are killing me, and I really _won't_ be able to get out of bed now!"

A wide grin spread across Fenris's face. "Well, I _did_ warn you..."

Anders growled angrily then dropped his face back into the pillow. After a moment of staring silently at nothing, Fenris finally broke the silence to ask the question he'd been thinking of since that day.

"Do you really want one?"

"What?" Anders asked irritably without lifting his head.

Fenris turned his head to look at him. "A child. A family."

Anders's body jerked as if in surprise, but he didn't lift his head this time. He remained quiet and unmoving, so Fenris continued.

"It was your second greatest desire, wasn't it? The one Des-uh, the demon was talking about. What she used to bind you and make you serve Hadriana."

With a heavy, muffled sigh, Anders slowly and stiffly turned onto his side to face Fenris and looked at him with a straight, almost expressionless face. "Sometimes...we want things we can't have. In the past, I never thought seriously about settling down or having kids. All I wanted was freedom and a good time. But since joining the Wardens and...Justice...I realized I can't have those things now. It's just not a good idea."

Fenris felt tension in his chest and rolled over on his side to face Anders as well. "I'm sorry you cannot do such things with me as a lover..." he said, feeling a sense of sorrow.

Anders gave the elf a crooked smile, looking amused. "I don't _have_ to have that sort of life, you know. I'm not cut out for a 'normal life' anyway. I wouldn't even know what to do with myself. Probably go mad with boredom. Besides," He slid a little closer with a muffled grunt of pain then looked into Fenris's eyes. "I have you. That's all I need."

There was a flutter in Fenris's chest and a strange feeling of embarrassment. The way the mage could say such things so easily made him feel awkward sometimes. He suddenly remembered something he had been wanting to tell Anders for weeks, but hadn't had the opportunity to do so until now.

"I heard you, you know."

The elf's sudden statement caught Anders off guard and he looked at him in confusion. "What?"

Fenris lowered his eyes. "I heard you that day in the Deep Roads... When I was dying..."

Anders's eyebrows raised, his cheeks growing flushed. "Y-you heard what I said?"

Fenris nodded slowly then lifted his eyes to meet Anders's again. "I understand how much you need me, more than ever. So, don't worry..." He touched Anders's cheek and lightly stroked it with his thumb. "I won't leave you."

Anders's eyes widened slightly then filled with tears, even as he smiled. "Thank you, Love..." he said quietly.

Fenris ran his fingers through the mage's hair and moved in to share a tender, loving kiss. They closed what little distance was left between them and held each other closely, falling asleep within each other's arms. That night, Anders slept peacefully.

**The End**

* * *

Whoo, completed another one! And it only took... *Looks at wristwatch* A whole year! Ugh, I'm getting old... Anyway, thanks for reading, guys.


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